


Too Many Dames, Not Enough Gas

by ghostwhispererfangirl



Series: Ked Universe [3]
Category: Ghost Whisperer
Genre: Abusive Relationship, Alternate Universe - 1940s, F/M, North Carolina, True Love, World War II
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-14
Updated: 2016-08-07
Packaged: 2018-07-15 01:46:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 20
Words: 57,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7200647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ghostwhispererfangirl/pseuds/ghostwhispererfangirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She's the rich girl, and he's mechanic's son. 1942 Ked AU. COMPLETE</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Meowser_Clancy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meowser_Clancy/gifts).



  **A/N: Time AU's for Ked! I'll probably do a few time periods more after this one.**

**A little background information: This is set in June of 1942. Melinda and Jim have been married for 18 years, living in this house together for the same amount of time. Katherine and William have been seeing each other for about six months, sadly. The rest is explained down there or can be put together :)**

**I take no credit for any characters from Ghost Whisperer, however, I did create Katherine and William, so I do own them.** **Enjoy!**

**Just for reference, the ages are:**

**Jim - 43**  
Melinda - 43  
Katie - 17  
Ned - 17  
William - 17

**Because there is some strange language:**

**Fuddy-Duddy: old fashioned person**  
**Eager-Beaver: enthusiastic helper**  
**Chrome-dome: bald man**  
**Flip your wig: to lose control**  
**Grandstand: to show off**  
**Bust my chops: scolding**  
**Taxed: expensive**

* * *

* * *

 

Katherine Ann Clancy was the light of her parent's lives. She got good grades, she was kind and considerate of others, and most of all she was their only child.

Complications during her birth prevented the then young couple from having more children, but they soldiered on and put everything into their little girl. She had everything she could ever want for the moment she was born; the best toys, the best clothes and the best parents. They loved her unconditionally and that proved to be the best gift of all.

It was hard to come by people like her parents with their modernist values.

Jim believed his wife and daughter deserved to the same rights as anyone, and that everyone was equal. He made sure his little girl knew she didn't need a man to be strong and that being independent wasn't a bad thing.

Although he was the breadwinner of the household, Melinda always loved staying home and being able to garden and focus on their daughter. They owned a nice little suburban house on Cherry Tree Lane in the outskirts of Ashwick Valley, North Carolina and have lived their since Melinda and Jim had first gotten married.

* * *

Jim sat at the kitchen table reading the paper as Melinda brought out his plate of eggs and toast.

"Eat up, honey." She said and kissed his cheek.  
"Coffee?" He asked and checked his cup.  
"Oh, sorry." She said went to grab it.  
"Don't worry. I've got it," he smiled at her and walked into the kitchen with her.  
"Where is that girl?" She said seeing the time. "She gonna be late for her last day!"  
"Oh don't flip your wig, sweetheart." He laughed and poured himself coffee. "She'll be fine. I thought she could drive today since it's her last day."  
"She could if she gets out here and eats her eggs!" She sighed. "Katherine Ann, you don't have to be a grandstand for your last day."

Their daughter came running from her room in her new dress she'd gotten the week before.

"Oh mama, I'm tryin to be the next Bette Davis, don't you know?" Katie said leaning against her mother dramatically.  
"Oh go eat your eggs," she laughed.  
"Mornin' daddy," Katie said and kissed her father's cheek.  
"Mornin' sweet pea," he smiled at her as she plopped down at the table.

She was in a polka-dotted buttoned-up sleeveless shirt with a high-waisted A-line navy blue skirt.

"You look gorgeous," he cheered and sat down next to her.  
"I can barely breathe, but it's the new trend." She sighed and took a bite of her food. "Can I have fifty cents for lunch? Hannah and I are gonna get burgers and shake at the diner."  
"Of course," he said and gave her a dollar.  
"Oh thank you daddy," she smiled at him.  
"Take care of that car today," he warned her.  
"I will," she said and finished her juice. "I promise. I love you!"

She gave her father a big kiss on both cheeks.

"Bye mama. I've got to go," she said as she grabbed her book bag that hung by the door.

She grabbed the shiny new car keys and smiled, maybe today wouldn't be so bad after all.

* * *

_Last day of her junior year,_ she thought as she parked the car carefully.

She needed to check the car out, she'd heard a noise and it worried her. Her father would kill bust her chops if she'd broke the newest car this town had ever seen.

"Looks like you've got yourself a flat tire," a boy said running his greased fingers through his hair.

He wore a pair of pressed khaki trousers that seemed to do this bad boy fine; and paired with a well fitted black graphic sweater – this look couldn't be more on point. Round it out with that sickening blonde hair style (a casual part, ruffled by the wind). He had a cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth as he smiled.

He wasn't the person she'd hang out with, but she knew him. She knew everyone and everyone knew her.

He was the mechanic's son, so he knew what he was doing.

"I can fix it for ya," he coughed.  
"Well aren't you an eager-beaver," she said and held out her hand. "Katherine Clancy."  
"I know your father," he replied. "Ned Banks."  
"Nice to meet you," she smiled as he held out his hand.

His hands were callused and raw, like he'd had a difficult life and worked twice as hard for everything he had. Every pinprick touch felt unfeeling. Funny how somethings can feel unfeeling, but I guess he's just been through too much.

His hands looked and felt like worn leather and were caked in dirt and grime.

"Nice to meet you," she said and looked at her hand slightly.  
"Somethin' wrong?" He asked.

He inhaled slowly, his system responding to the smoke, and he felt his lungs being wrapped by a warm blanket. Taking small, slow draws of the cigarette, he felt delighted.

"No." She laughed and reached for her book bag. "Thank you."  
"You're welcome," he replied and stomped on the cigarette butt. "I'll patch it up right now."  
"Thanks," she smiled at him.

She hated the smell of cigarettes, she didn't see the point in them. All they did was cause harm in the end, at least that's what she'd read about.

Katherine wanted to be a nurse one day, to save lives and still be able to go home and see her family at night.

"Katie?" A voice came into her earshot and she turned around to see William.

Her boyfriend towered over her and she shrunk down.

"Will," she said quietly. "I was just talking to Ned... he is gonna fix my flat tire."  
"Is that all?" Will asked and tightened his tie and fixed his jacket.  
"Yeah," she smiled up at him and spun her car keys around her finger.  
"Well you better let the help do their job," Will laughed and grabbed her arm. "Let's go."  
"Let go of me," she muttered and pushed past him.  
"What did you say to me?" He laughed and pushed her against the brick wall.

She cowered against him and he leaned in to capture her lips and got her cheek.

"I'm your boyfriend, don't turn on me." He muttered and grabbed her chin.  
"Why do you have to be rude to everyone?" She asked.  
"I'm not!" He yelled and saw one of his friends. "Women these days and their stupid questions."  
"Just because your daddy owns half the county doesn't mean you're better than anyone else." She said and pushed him off of her.  
"Come on Katie!" He shouted as she walked back over to Ned.  
"Hey... I'm sorry for what he said to you." She said and touched his should softly.  
"It's alright, I'm used to the Davis family acting like they are better than everyone else." Ned said and smiled at her. "You don't have to apologize for him."  
"No one deserves to be talked to like that, especially since you're doin' me a favor." She said and the bell rang. "Well I better get going'. Thanks again."  
"Anytime," Ned said and cranked her car up to remove the tire. "It should be done before your first class is done."

She waved at him and locked arms with Hannah as they walked toward their first class of the day.

"You'll pay for that," William said pushing past her.  
"What was that about?" Hannah asked.  
"You know Will, always thinkin' he's better than everybody else." She sighed. "Don't worry."  
"I do worry... did you see what he did to his last girlfriend?" Hannah muttered as they took their seats.

She set her bag on the floor next to her and relaxed into the desk.

She did see what he'd done, she couldn't walk straight for a week, but she knew he wouldn't do that.

He loved her, at least she thought he did.

* * *

After school came finishing her summer homework, she didn't want her entire three months off to consume her with reading one book, which it definitely could.

She drove down her street which looked perfect, it always did. She drove slow as many kids drove by her on their bikes. What some people called a cookie cutter neighborhood which included, neat lawns and nice smells. A few people waved to her as they cut grass.

She knew everyone.

She noticed that Mrs. Larson was visible in her house cooking cookies with her son Thomas.

"Hey Katie!" She chirped and Katie waved back.

She noticed her mom bent over and gardening out front as she pulled into the driveway next to her father's car. It was his turn to cook tonight, they did things like that .

"Hey mama, need some help?" She asked as she locked the car.  
"Sure! Come help me plant these tulips," Melinda said as Katie kneeled down next to her placing her bag on the sidewalk next to her.

She smoothed out her dress and pulled on the gloves.

"Order me around," She laughed.  
"Take these seedlings and put them in the holes, fill around it with soil and then water it." Melinda explains. "Got it?"  
"Yeah. Seems easy enough," she says and takes a few seeds from her.

They work together and quickly get the garden planted for this summer.

"Teamwork," Melinda said and high fived her before planting a kiss on her cheek. "Did you have a good last day?"  
"Yeah. Only mild summer homework." She explained and took off the planting gloves. "I have a book to start reading. What's daddy cookin'?"  
"I think he fired up that old girl and is makin' steaks. They were on sale for a quarter!" Melinda exclaimed and packed up her gardening tools.  
"I'll put it away," she said and took the bag from her. "You go in and get cleaned up."

Her mother grabbed her book bag and hung it up by the door as Katie went in and placed the gardening tool bag in the hall closet. She closed the front door behind them and reached into her bag to grab her book.

"Did you see that gas went up! It's eighteen cents, that's so taxed!" She said walking into the kitchen.  
"I heard it has somethin' to do with Mr. President being so sick." Her father said as he walked inside with a plate of meat.  
"I heard about that!" Melinda gasped. "I heard it has something' to do with all them cigars he smokes."  
"Oh mama, you're such a gossip." She giggled and sat down, opening the book.  
"I thought there was rule about readin' at the table." He said and placed a plate in front of her, and kissed her forehead. "Only fun activities are allowed."  
"Oh daddy stop being such a fuddy-duddy." She said and closed the book. "Gone with the Wind happens to be an incredible novel."  
"Says you," he laughed and placed a plate in front of his wife.

Her parents shared a kiss and she smiled. They loved each other, they really did. She wanted that.

True love.

Her mother didn't give into everyone's requests. She powered out until she met the one at twenty five, even if everyone wanted her her to marry rich. She married with her heart, her soul, and that's what Katie wanted for herself, as did her parents.

"So, my boss is taking all of the workers out for drinks." He said and sat down at the head of the table. "There will be some call girls. It's the politics of running a car business."  
"I trust you," Melinda smiled at him. "Just make sure you've got your energy saved for me."  
"I'm right here," she laughed.  
"We know," he smiled and kissed her once more. "I love you."  
"I love you too," Melinda replied and touched his face. "Who's saying grace?"  
"I will," she said and they held hands, they all closed their eyes. "Bless us, O Lord, and this food which we are about to receive. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen."  
"Amen," her parents replied.

They all dug into their food and Katie continued to read her book, her parents small talk was the last thing on her mind.

"How'd the car drive?" Her father asked.  
"Good, a minor mishap, but it was fixed." She said absent-mindedly.  
"What?" He asked.  
"Flat tire, but the mechanic's son fixed it." She explained.  
"I've always liked the Banks' son. He seems nice," Melinda chirped. "He's gotten on the wrong side of the law a few times, but second chances should always be given."  
"I'll give him a few dollars next time I see him." He said.  
"I forgot to mention it got me slammed into a brick wall by William." She replied.  
"Remind me to bust the chops on that kid when he picks you up for your date." He muttered. "I like the boy, he's smart, but is so short tempered."  
"He doesn't hit you right?" Melinda asked.  
"I would never let him," she answered.  
"That's my girl," he smiled at her. "When's he picking you up?"

The doorbell echoed through the house and she looked over her shoulder.

"Now," she sighed. "I'll get it."  
"No. I will," he said and stood, fixing his tie. "Eat a little more. I'll put it in the fridge for you to eat when you get back if you're still hungry."

She nodded and took another bit of steak, stacking a few green beans on her plate too.

"These greens are really good mama. You're gardening is getting better each spring," she smiled.  
"Thank you. I bet it's all the rain we've been gettin'." Her mother replied.

Her father doesn't yell, but did when it came to his girls.

"If you ever lay a hand on my daughter again I'll end you." His voice boomed through the house and she inhaled softly before standing up.  
"I'm coming with you," her mother said and they both walked into the foyer.  
"Katherine," William said and held out a bouquet of daisies. "For being flippin' my wig earlier."

She took the flowers with a smile and gave the flowers to her mother to put away, and then took a step forward.

"Have her home by nine," he warned.  
"Yes sir," William said.  
"Daddy, remember what I said earlier?" She reminded him.  
"Fine. Ten o'clock." He muttered and released William's jacket, his arm rippled as her embraced his little girl. "You come straight home if he tries anything."  
"You're gonna worry yourself into being a chrome-dome." She whispered and kissed his cheek.  
"I worry just enough," he coughed and walked back toward Melinda.  
"I love you both to the moon," she smiled toward them and took his hand into hers as they left the house.  
"If you ever tell you father about me like that again, I'll bust your pretty face up, and no one will ever want you. You hear?" William muttered opened the passenger door from her. "If you weren't such a dramatic and listened to me I wouldn't have to be strict with you."  
"I know. I'm sorry," she said and got inside.

_Maybe this is how things were now. Men are supposed to be superior, right?_ She thought.

* * *

After going out for milkshakes he decided to take her to the Drive-In. They were showing The Wizard of Oz, her favorite.

"This was the first movie to be in color back in 1939," she said as she walked from the hood of his car.  
"I don't care," he muttered. "Just watch the damn thing."

She shrunk about two sizes and looked back to the screen.

He turned to face her and cupped her cheek.

"I'm sorry," he muttered and drew her in.

He kissed her harshly, while she stayed frozen in his grasp. He wrapped both arms around her and laid her back against the car's hood.

"Will... no." She sighed and turned her head.  
"What is your problem now?" He snapped and slammed his hand down next to her face. "One second you're wanting my attention and the next you're wanting me off of you. You love me, right?"  
"Of course I do," she said.  
"Then let me have you," he muttered.  
"Not tonight," she whispered and tried to sit up. "Not after today."  
"I'm your boyfriend. You can't say no to me," he laughed and slammed her back down, his hand gripping her ribs too tight. "I'll take what's mine. This isn't like the first time, you can't say no after being with me like that for over two months."  
"You're hurting me," she winced. "Stop it Will."

Maybe he was right. They'd been together like this before... more than once.

It was alright, nothing special. They were nothing special.

Maybe something was wrong with her, she knew how her father could make her mother feel. She'd heard it one to many times between the thin walls, the screams that would come from her mouth. She'd heard her talk to the neighbor and her friend Andrea on the phone.

He brought his lips to her again, his hand slipping beneath her dress and trailing up her thigh.

His lips pressed tightly against mine, too forced. She didn't want this.

She felt helpless and confused. Was this love? Was this her fault? If she hadn't talked to Ned, maybe this wouldn't have happened. She was ashamed because she let herself get into this situation.

He grabbed her hair and yanked and all she wanted to do was scream, there were people all around them, but they were just another couple of rascals gettin' it on at the drive in to them. He ripped the buttons apart and exposed her breasts, his mouth moved there, his teeth pulled and yanked.

She felt tears sting her eyes. His hair was sweaty and he was biting his bottom lip to keep from moaning out in triumph. She was doing everything she could to study every single feature on his face. She felt violated and... ashamed. He finally removed himself from her and pulled his belt off, and unzipped himself enough to expose himself.

There wasn't much, to say the least.

He leaned up against her and kissed her neck.

"I love you," he said and brought her face to his, kissing her briefly before he looked down.

She turned her head and closed her eyes. She didn't want this, but he did, and she loved him. At least she thought she did.

He forced himself inside her. As she cried in pain, he cried in relief. It seemed as though he has always wanted to do that.

It wasn't long, it never was. He rolled off and fixed his pants and kissed her my cheek.

"It didn't have to be like that, I wouldn't have to be rough if you just listened to me." He said and fixed her dressed.

She laid there, crying silently. He brought his finger to her eye and wiped away her tears before kissing her again.

"Is everything alright?" A voice asked and she looked to see Ned.

He always seemed to be there to save her.

"Piss off, we're having a private moment." He muttered.  
"I wasn't asking you," Ned said and looked at her. "Come on. I'll bring you home."

Ned held out his hand, and she wanted to take it, but she didn't want to get herself hurt in the long haul.

"She doesn't want you. We're having a nice time here," he said and pushed his hand away.

Ned took a step closer and wiped away another falling tear.

She sat up and stood next to him.

"You'll take me home?" She sniffled.  
"Yeah," Ned said and smiled at her.  
"If you go with him, we're done." He warned her.

He slipped off his leather jacket and placed it on her shoulders before guiding her to his motorcycle.

"Is this a 1940 Triumph Tiger 100?" She asked.  
"You know cars?" He asked and straddled it, giving his helmet to her.  
"My dad's a salesman, remember?" She asked and clipped the helmet in place.  
"Still, most dames like yourself don't take interest in that sort of thing." He explained and held out his hand.

She took it and he pulled her on, she gripped his shirt tightly.

"Do you ever wash your hands?" She laughed.  
"I get so much grime on them at work that they are stained black most of the time," he laughed. "I am clean most of the time though."  
"Glad to hear it," she whispered and relaxed against him.

He was strong, she could feel the muscle with each breath he took. The bobber took off and they basically flew to her house, she'd never been on one.

He parked on the street and helped her off, unclipping the helmet as her parents stepped outside the house, wondering what that noise was.

She slipped off the jacket and gave it to him.

"Thanks for saving me, again." She said and smiled at him.  
"Anytime, rich girl." He said and smiled at her.  
"I'm not-" She muttered.  
"You are," he laughed. "I know my house doesn't look like this. Not to be rude-"

She embraced him, cutting off his words. He slowly let himself wrap his arms around her frame, and she wasn't small like he expected her to be. She had a body, a womanly one.

There was something so warm, something that felt right, smelt right. She let her body sag, her muscles become loose. He gave her the respect of an equal but cradled her like he would any girl he liked. In that embrace she felt her worries lose their keen sting and her optimism raise its head from the dirt. Perhaps the hope had been there all along, but without some love it was trapped, like crystals in a stone. She felt him brush her hair back with his mechanic fingers and kiss her gently.

Was this love? Maybe, because she knew this was never what she felt around William.

And then, he kissed her and the world fell away.

It was slow and soft, comforting in ways that words would never be.

His hand rested below her ear, his thumb caressing her cheek as their breaths mingled. She ran her fingers down his spine, pulling him closer until there was no space left between them and she could feel the beating of his heart against her chest.

Her father coughed and they separated.

"Thank you for bringing her home," her father said.

Ned smiled and looked back to her.

"I'll see you around," he said and slipped on his helmet before straddling his bike again and driving off.  
"Daddy," she sighed.  
"I don't want to see you with that boy again." He muttered.  
"He saved me from William." She replied.  
"He is no good for you, I do not care. I don't want to see you with him ever again," he scolded. "He will be a ghost in your life. There will be nothing romantic between the two of you. Do you hear me?"  
"Loud and clear," she said and walked past him.

She felt her heart break for the second time that night.


	2. Chapter 2

Ned leaned against the brick wall, cigarette between his fingers.

He still tasted her against his lips, felt her against his fingers. How warm she was. How good she tasted. He brought the end to his mouth and took a drag, the taste disappeared when he saw him.

William B. Davis.

Sheriff's son, scumbag, and future wife beater.

"So the other night, I brought her to the drive in, you know, her favorite picture was playing and I was also expecting a little action because neither of us are saints." William explained, earning a chuckle from his friend. "It wasn't either of our first times at this rodeo."

He shouldn't listen. He didn't want to hear about what he'd broken up.

She didn't look to pleased, he'd had his fair share of tail, and no girl ever looked at him like that. She was distraught, grief stricken, and tears stained her cheeks.

"And she goes and says no, that she isn't in the mood because I pushed her earlier that day for messin' around with the dirty mechanic. And all that does is make me want her more, like who does she think she is? She can't say no to me. So I push myself on her and I take her. And she's crying and won't look at me like I hurt her or something." William explained. "The one good thing about that girl is her bust, only thing she's got going for her."

He clenched his fists, his nailed brought blood from his calloused hands.

_He was bastard_ , he thought.

"Let's not forget the best part, then the mechanic shows up again and he brings her home like all he did was do me a favor by gettin' rid of her for me. I bet he bent her over that bobber of his and took her too... the animal he is. I bet she liked just as much as she likes everything me." William laughed. "She's nothing now. Once I tell everyone about her rendezvous with the mechanic, she'll be a pariah."

He clenched his fists and shook his. He knew better than to hit the sheriff's son, but God he wanted to knock that smirk off his face. He was actin' like he'd done a noble thing, raping _that girl_. She deserved better, so much better, and deserved for someone to teach him a lesson. He took another draw from the cigarette, he needed all the courage he could get.

Someone had to stand up for her.

"Shut your mouth, Davis." He muttered and flicked his cigarette to the concrete.  
"What'd you say mechanic?" William coughed and raked his hand through his hair.  
"I said shut your dirty little mouth," he laughed and stomped on the butt with the heel of his shoe. "She deserves your respect."  
"A woman deserves nothing," William took a step forward. "They are inferior to us, well me. You're nothing but a dirty mechanic. Why are you so protective of her? Did you get to see the Katherine show too?"

He clenched his teeth together and stretched his neck instead of breaking William's.

"So she held out on you..." William chuckled. "Well there's not much to see, you know, she's nothing but a pair of breasts and nice ass. She'll give you a good time through, no denying that, even if you need to pin her down."

Nothing held him back this time, his fist connected with his jaw and there was a crack.

He left no mercy on him, wailing punches left and right, before he knew it someone yanked him off before he killed the bastard.

"Settle down!" The man yelled and drug him into an office. "Did that have something to do with why you drove my daughter home three nights ago?"

Jim Clancy, _head of sales_.

He was pushed down into cushioned chair forcefully, and he took the moment to look down at his bloody knuckles. His heart raced beneath his chest, adrenaline pumped through his veins.

"I've wanted to punch the kid since the moment I met him." Jim laughed and handed him a water bottle. "Piece of work, that boy."  
"He raped her," he muttered.  
"What'd you say son?" Jim asked as he took the handkerchief from his jacket pocket and gave it to Ned who began to wipe the blood off his knuckles.  
"He was bragging about what he did to your daughter, to Katherine." He muttered.  
"Oh, when he pushed her into that wall back at the school?" Jim sighed, smoothing out his greying black hair. "I wanted to do that to him then too, but Katie, she has a way of gettin' me to do things for her. All my little girl has to do is flash a smile and I'm a goner." He looked down at the portrait of her at his desk and smiled. "She's all my wife and I have."  
"No, at the drive-in. She looked uncomfortable, so I brought her home. I didn't know what happened until today." He explained, all the color had drained from his face. "No woman should be spoken about like that."  
"What'd he do son? Spit it out," Jim said, straightening his posture.  
"He took advantage of her. He raped her." He replied.

The room went silent and Jim slowly walked toward his desk. The sheriff stepped into his office and yanked Ned from the seat, handcuffing him and shoved him toward the deputy.

"I bet you wanted that bastard out of your hair," the sheriff chuckled. "He's going away for a long time. No one touches my boy like that." The sheriff paused. "He broke my boy's jaw and nearly bruised half his face."

Jim didn't answer, and the sheriff left. He fell into his chair and tears stung his cheeks.

Not his little girl.

* * *

Katie had laid there, in bed, staring at the wall for the past four days.

She felt pain everywhere, and not just in her heart. Her body ached.

She'd found blood on her sheets this morning, and in her underwear. And not from the usual monthly visitor, that was still weeks away.

It was from that night. It was worse than when they first were intimate. She'd wanted it then, she'd loved him _then_. It didn't hurt as much. He'd been loving, gentle, and kind.

A side he didn't show often, but the side she'd fallen in love with. The side she'd made plans with. The side she thought about having a life with, a marriage, and maybe children or even a child if her mother's experience was genetic. But that boy was gone, he disappeared the moment he shoved her into that brick wall, and was proven to be gone the minute he forced her to do something she didn't want to do.

"Katie?" Her mother knocked on her bedroom door. "What's the matter honey?"

She cried harder and pressed her face into the pillow. She wanted this pain to go away and not just physically, but mentally. Why did William have such a grip on her? And why did the prospect of having Ned destroy her even more?

"I'm coming in," her mother said and opened the door.

Her mother pulled her into her arms.

"Oh baby girl tell mama what's wrong," her mother pleaded. "I'm worried about you." Her fingers skimmed through her hair and she pressed a kiss to her forehead. "You're burnin' up. Oh honey, are you sick?"

She shook her head and continued to sob into her mother's chest.

"Breathe baby breathe," her mother whispered. "Is it William? Did he hurt you again?"

She broke down harder and her mother held her closer.

"Or was it Ned?" Her mother questioned.  
"Both," she blubbered and looked at the ceiling.  
"You're sheets are wet," her mother muttered and then looked at her. "I'll fix your bed, here get up."

They both slowly rose and she pulled Katie in for another hug as she continued to sob, her whole body shaking.

"I'm here baby. I'm here." Her mother whispered.

She pulled back the blue blanket to find her sheets stained with blood.

"Is it that time again? So soon?" Her mother knew when her month time came, the end of each month, it was only the tenth.

She shook her head and the tears came out harder.

"Then what's wrong? Why are you bleeding? Where are you bleeding?" Her mother became worried and the words couldn't come out.

She didn't know what to tell her. Was it considered to be forced if you had been together before?

Her mother didn't know they had ever been intimate. She hadn't wanted to tell her about this. Some things she wanted to be private.

"Katherine Ann," her mother warned.  
"He forced himself upon me," she whispered. "We'd been together before, several times, but this time was different. I didn't want to mama."

Her heart broke for her little girl as her face crumbled into a sobbing mess. She fell into her arms and she cradled her daughter like she would've if she were a child. That she still was. A child.

Her child.

No one deserves to be taken advantage of.

"You can't tell daddy," she whimpered. "He'll never forgive me."  
"This is not your fault," her mother reassured her. "No matter how many times you are intimate, you have the right to say no, and that wish should be granted. Your father would never blame you."  
"But we were together... before marriage." She said quietly.  
"Oh honey," her mother laughed. "Your father and I were together before marriage. Now I want you look at me for this part." She rose her head and sniffled. "If you love somebody then it's worth while. It can be so amazing, my love, if you're with the right person."  
"And what if you don't feel anything? Is something wrong with you then?" She asked, her cheeks burning.  
"What do you mean?" Her mother asked.  
"All of the times but the last... I never felt anything. He kept saying how I felt good, you know, but I couldn't feel him. Except the last time, all I did was feel pain then."  
"At all?" She shook her head. "Oh honey, I've never had that problem. Is he... how do I ask this... Is he fairly good in size?"  
"I don't know," she gestured to about how big he was... down there.

Her mother blushed.

"Oh dear, that's not your fault. He's just not a shower or a grower." Her mother reassured her. "If you love someone, and I mean really love the person and they love you back. Passion will take over, and you'll you'll feel things that you never thought were possible. Trust me." Her mother paused, "Now go take a bath, relax and I'll be in, in a minute."  
"Okay," she whispered.

She walked toward the door on her left, she was lucky enough to have her own bathroom. She turned the faucet on and let the tub fill with scalding hot water. This would be her third bath today, maybe this time when she got out she'd feel clean.

She let her cotton nightgown pool at her ankles and she looked at herself in the mirror.

He'd left bruises on her torso, by her ribs and on her thighs. She wasn't a pretty picture anymore. He'd gotten his wish.

He ruined her.

* * *

Melinda changed her sheets, and brought the old ones along with her blanket into the laundry room.

"Melinda?" Jim's voice echoed throughout the house.  
"Laundry room," she called out to him and she heard him come in behind her.

She want greeted with a hug from behind or a kiss.

"That bastard raped her. He assaulted our little girl," he muttered. "I'm going to kill him."  
"Jim, calm down." She replied and dropped the bedding into the machine along with some soap.

She clipped the top on and flipped the switch.

It was not common to have a washer, it being the more expensive appliance, not many saw the need when they could wash it by hand for less money.

"How are you being so calm?" He said and clenched his fists. "Did you know before me."  
"She just told me Jim, and I'm being calm for her sake. She's a mess, all shaken up. He made her think it was okay because they'd done it before." She sighed.  
"It wasn't her first?" He asked, he supposed that was better.

That her first has been a better thing than this one.

"She loved him, or at least she thought she did long enough to sleep with him a few times." She explained, his anger boiled up again and she brought her finger to his mouth. "I don't want to hear it. She is very capable of making her own decisions. But right now she needs us more than ever. She's not gonna want to report it and I don't want her too either."  
"Melinda you can't be serious," he sighed.  
"You and I both know how these cases go these days," she explained. "The sheriff is his father. He'll get it swept under the rug even if we're lucky enough to get a conviction. They'll say that because they broke up she changed her mind or worse. All this will do is break her more."

"Did I tell you that I pulled Ned off William after he found him bragging about what he'd done to our little girl?" He explained. "He broke his pretty little face."

A smile came across her face and she blushed.

"He cares for her," she replied.  
"He's nothin' but another one of them sexually promiscuous boys," he sighed and rubbed his head. "He won't do her any good."  
"How do you know that? People thought the same of you and look how we turned out," she said and grabbed his chin, pulling his gaze on her. "You give that boy a chance. You and I both saw the stars in our little girls eyes last night."  
"I love it when you get your panties in a bunch," he chuckled.  
"Oh Jim, don't you even try to wiggle your way out of this." She said as he backed her against the washer.

He gripped her hips and kissed her fiercely, his finger pulled her blouse open and her hiked her leg up over his shoulder.

"I love you," he growled.  
"I love you too," she giggled and gripped his hair.

Loosening his belt a little, he was able to drop his pants and resituate his whitey-tighties before pushing her panties aside and thrusting into her.

"Jim!" She clawed at his hair and he placed her on top of the humming machine. "Oh Jim..."  
"Mom?" Katie asked and opened the door slightly.  
"No! Don't come in," they both yelled.  
"Why?" She asked and stepped inside, covering her face almost immediately. "Oh! My eyes. Gross."

She turned around and closed the door.

He then pulled out and fixed himself before helping her down from the machine. She buttoned her blouse and fixed her skirt before kissing him deeply.

"Later?" He asked.  
"Yes..." She whispered and kissed him once more.

Their daughter sat at the kitchen table reading dressed in a pastel pink dress, a white belt tied around her small waist, and hair pulled into a tight pony.

"Katie..." She said as she sat down next to her.  
"Don't apologize. I shouldn't have come in, you told me not to." Katie whispered. "I'm glad someone is happy around here."

She looked back at her husband and motioned for him to come over, he wasn't good with words.

He sat next to her and she looked up at him slowly, weary of getting a lecture for letting herself be with him before. He broke down the minute he was able to se her, his strength evaporated. The thought of someone hurting his little girl hurt him even more.

"Daddy, I'm so sorry." She whimpered. "I should've been stronger. I should've never gone with him to the drive-in. I knew he expected somethin'. He always does."  
"How could you possibly thinking this is your fault," he sobbed.

She moved over and sat on his lap, hugging him tightly. She hugged him as tight as she could and then kissed his cheek. Melinda joined in on the hug and they stayed like that for a moment.

Startled by the sudden ring of the doorbell, Melinda excused herself and opened the door.

"William, what are you doing here?" Melinda asked, her eyes traveled over each wound.  
"I need to speak with Katherine," William muttered. "Is she here?"

His jaw was a dark purple and crooked, like he'd broken it. And his left eye was completely swollen shut and his lip was fat.

She wanted to close the door in his face, but she knew better. He'd get his father involved somehow.

"Jim?" She called out and watched as his fists clenched and he craned his neck to see in and look for her.  
"Is it too hard for you to get your own daughter?" William chuckled madly, his knuckles turning white as he clenched his fists. "Just go fetch her."  
"I'm not letting my daughter anywhere near you," she replied. "I want off my property."  
"Your property? What woman owns anything in this town?" William responded. "I just want to see Katie. I know she's here. She isn't with Hannah, her summer internship hasn't started yet, and she isn't with the dirty little criminal who did this to me."  
"Anything husband owns in mine." She said calmly, as Jim's hand met with the small of her back.  
"What can I do for you?" He muttered.  
"I want to see Katie," William replied and cracked is neck. "We have things to... chat about."  
"Well I can't do that for you, so leave." He said and then pushed the door closed. "You okay?"  
"This won't be the last you see of me!" William yelled and pounded his fist on my door. "You'll regret this."  
"Yeah," she said softly and hugged her husband tightly.  
"Ned did that to him?" Katie's voice came to them quietly, like a little mouse, something she'd never done before.

They looked at her and watched as she swallowed nervously and figetted with her hands.

"For me?" She asked.  
"That's what he said, but I still don't want you around him. It's too dangerous with how William is acting." He warned. "Alright?"  
"Yes sir," she answered and walked down the hallway.

Ned doesn't deserve to be in jail because of her.

She went into her room and dug out the money she'd been saving for her nursing classes after school. It was all she had, but he didn't deserve to rot in some dirty cell getting treated like who knows what because William's father can do whatever he wants. She'd get him out of there, for now at least.

* * *

She walked into the station alone, all eyes went to her.

Katie took a deep breath when she saw him, William sat in his father's chair with an icepack to his face.

She almost smiled when she saw how bruised up he was, but she didn't.

"Well well look what the cat drug in," William laughed. "Missed me baby? You come back for round two?"

She walked on, her head held high.

"Oh come on," William jumped up and walked behind her, pulling up the skirt of her dress. "Give me a little shake baby."

He was getting off on this, that he could do whatever he wanted with his father there watching.

"I'd like to pay the bail of someone," she said quietly to the desk clerk.  
"Who?" He asked.  
"'Ned Banks," she whispered.  
"Who?" He asked again. "I didn't quite hear you sweetheart."  
"Ned Banks," she said just loud enough for him to hear.  
"I wouldn't have expected a pretty girl like you to bail this scumbag out. Are you datin' the Davis boy?" He asked and she gave him the money.  
"No," she answered.  
"Oh we both know you'll come crawlin' back," William whispered and smacked her behind.

She closed her eyes and ignored him.

Reacting would only give him power.

The deputy drug him out of the cell and he saw Katie standing there.

"Put him back in there," William chuckled.  
"The young lady paid the bail," the desk clerk muttered. "Just doin' my job."  
"Does your daddy know you're here?" William asked.  
"Katherine?" Ned said and took a step closer.

She was the last person he'd expected to bail him out.

She smiled at him softly and wrapped her arms around him, he found the small of her back and took a breath in, she smelled like a spring meadow. She awakened feelings he didn't know he could feel. His heart skipped a beat as she looked back at him with a small smile.

"Is it true?" She asked. "Did you do it for me?"  
"Of course I did," he whispered and outreached his hand to cup her cheek.

She couldn't help but smile at his words.

She was rich girl, and he was the mechanic's son, there was no doubt about that; but when he leaned down to embrace her one more, she couldn't help the blush at the sound of her heart pounding inside her chest, to hide the fact that she was falling head over heals for this boy, when she'd only known him for a matter of days.

He looked into her eyes, our heads were the same level. His eyes were the colour of a fresh moist grass. They emphasized on the freshness his appearance gave to his beauty; but in the moonlight, they looked almost blue. From the pressure of his hands, she could tell he was as nervous as She was. Especially when he leaned in, so close she could spell the mint on his breath, which she knew she would never forget this moment.

His lips reached her jaw, tracing the lines of her ear to her collarbone. They were so warm against her skin as they reminded her of soft, little fluffy pillows.

She lifted her hands out of his, and pulled them up high to his shoulders, where she entwined them with his soft light blonde hair. He put his hands down at her waist while pulling her closer to his chest.

The one thing she certain of was that she was his, and he was hers; and so the bowl ran away with the spoon.

* * *

They walked down main street, hand in hand.

"How's you do it?" He asked. "Did your folks pay it?"  
"I had a little bit of savin's." She said softly. "You didn't deserve to rot in there."  
"This is the least of our worries. Your father doesn't want you around me," he replied.  
"I"ll take care of him. We just need to get give him time, he's worried. He always is," she explained. "I'm not holding back myself because of him. I-I."  
"You?" He asked.  
"I think I love you," she faced him, dropping his hand.

He itched his head and smiled.

"I think I love you too," he replied.

He held out his hand for her to take. She complied, but instead of shaking hands like he'd done before, he brought her hand to his lips and placed a gentle kiss upon it. Katie felt her face flush warm and the hairs on her neck stand. Something fluttered in her stomach.

In that moment she knew that if she spoke, her words would fumble and she wouldn't be able to make her usual witty remarks. Right there and then, she was at a loss for everything; no words, no breath, no thoughts. The only thing that came out of her mouth at that moment was her name, and even then it came out shaky and quiet. Katherine Ann Clancy, for once in her life, had her breath taken away - by the eyes of Ned Banks.

Something William couldn't even dream of doing.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I did some research for this chapter.**

**It's not happy news or research by any means, nothing about war usually is. It's definitely sad to me being that my ancestors were in Europe and were sent to the concentration camps for merly their religion. Definitely sickening for me to think of, but enjoy :) xx Mariah**

* * *

It was that evening, Katie was feeling better and Jim and Melinda had a nice night which didn't happen enough these days.

After finishing a motion picture they started to make dinner together, dancing around on the linoleum to Sinatra.

He took her hand and spun her around slowly.

"I love you," she said and looked into his eyes.  
"I love you too, my dear." He whispered and dipped her as Sinatra croons.

He pressed his lips to hers and she fell limp in his arms, her hand found his cheek and pulled him closer as he brought her back onto her own two feet.

"We should get dinner started before Katie wakes up," she said softly.  
"Let's," he answered. "Did you hear the news about the Germans?"

He began to form the meatloaf and Melinda brought him the seasonings.

"I don't pay attention to such sad things," Melinda replied, giving him the seasonings.  
"They are using gas on them," he said and poured a small amount into the bowl, mixing that together. "To kill them more peacefully in a more humane way, they say."  
"On who, my dear?" She asked and took the bottle from him.  
"The Jews," he cleared his throat as he placed the meatloaf into the greased pan. "It's sick."  
"That's so sad. No one should be persecuted because of religion." She sighed. "Where's Katie? Is she up?"  
"I checked on her before I went to get the paper and she was still tucked into her bed sleeping." He smiled. "She's probably up by now."  
"I'll go check," she replied and kissed his cheek.

She made her way back to her daughter's room and knocked softly.

"Babygirl? It's time to get up," she sang and opened the door. "You've been napping for so long."

She smiled as she saw her figure tucked into bed. She sat down on the bed and pulled the covers back to reveal her pillows stuffed to make it look like she was there.

"That girl," she laughed.  
"Is she up?" He asked as he dried off his hands with a towel in her doorway. "Where is she?"  
"I have a guess," she smiled and stood up, smoothing out her dress.  
"Where?" He asked and and rubbed her back.  
"I bet she's with the mechanic's son." She said and walked past him.  
"He's in the slammer!" He sighed.

She opened her bedside table and saw the money gone.

"Her money from babysitting is gone," she said.  
"Why would she do that? I told her to stay away for her own safety." He replied and then followed her out into the dining room.  
"Young love is fleeting," she sat down and opened the paper. "Just eat the food and she'll be home soon."  
"Are you sure?" He asked and sat down next to her.  
"I am," she replied.

He rubbed his forehead and stood up.

"Where are you going?" She asked.  
"I need to make the potatoes," he replied.

She followed him into the kitchen and turned him around to look at her.

"Oh honey, stop worrying about her so much." She reminded him, rubbing his back softly.  
"I never will," he whispered. "I just want her safe and happy."  
"Nothing is gonna happen to her if she's with him," she said and smiled at him. "He wouldn't let it."  
"How do you know that?" He asked.  
"Because of they way he looked at her the other night, and then he got himself thrown in jail for her." She sighed. "And I did the same with you. I went against my parents wishes and married you."

He smiled at her and kissed her.

"Fine. I'll trust you on this," he smiled and then grabbed the bag of potatoes. "Want to help me?"

She smiled and took the bag from him, setting it on the counter and opening it up and beginning to peel them.

* * *

Katie's stomach flipped as she walked down the street with Ned. The sun was just setting behind

She'd never snuck out before, she guessed this wasn't Ned's first.

"Are you alright Katherine?" Ned asked and looked over at her.  
"I've never done anything like this before..." Katie whispered.  
"What? Snuck out?" He laughed.  
"Yeah," she sighed.  
"Oh you're such a scaredy cat!" He said and wrapped his arm around her waist.  
"I am not!" She laughed.  
"If you don't take risks like this, than you most definitely are." He murmured and brought a cigarette to his lips.

He lite the end and took a drag before blowing it off to the side.

"Do you have to smoke?" She cringed as he took another drag.  
"I've been smoking for three years," he coughed.  
"It's no good for you!" She exclaimed. "Trust me Ned."  
"Stop nagging me," he muttered.  
"I won't until you stop," she smiled at him. "At least don't smoke around me."

He groaned and took another drag, before flicking it and squashing it under his shoe.

"Happy?" He asked.  
"I am," she said and smiled at him before looking ahead and seeing William. "So where are we going?"  
"We could go to the diner, but he's there." He answered.  
"Let's go somewhere more upbeat," she pushed her hair off her shoulder and it fell down her over her back.  
"I have idea, but I can guarantee you that you've never been there." He said and chuckled softly, leaning against the cement wall..  
"Try me," she said leaning into his shoulder.  
"Alright rich girl," he smiled. "Let's go."

He pulled her across the street and few people watched them and felt bad for her parents.

What a good young girl falling for such a boy with a bad reputation and no money.

**~x~**

He brought her into the old library that had been abandoned years ago.

"Why are we here? No one comes here." She laughed and then he pulled her toward a doorway.  
"Do you trust me?" He asked and then brought her hand to his mouth, leaving a warm kiss there.  
"Of course," she answered.  
"Then follow me," he replied and she did.

They room opened up and revealed a bunch of people dancing to music.

The music was so loud that it made her skin tingle and her lungs feel like mush. The bass thumped in time with her heart beat as though they were one, filling her from head to toe with music.

Over the roar of music, a distant, hazy chatter could be heard. She couldn't make out any words, but laughter rang in her ears and wouldn't seem to stop. The song that was playing got louder, pulling her in and wouldn't let go.

She couldn't help but smile, she'd never been this type of girl. One to go to places like this.

Something so hidden and frowned upon.

"I told you it would be worth it!" He yelled over the music.  
"What is she doing here?" A blonde shouted and touched Ned's chest. "A North End girl? Really?"

She shrunk in a size, itching her neck softly.

"She's not like other northend girls," he replied and took a step toward her. "She's my North End girl."

She smiled up at him.

_His northend girl,_ his words, not hers.

"You're making a bad decision." The blonde said and grabbed his jacket. "You know how I can make you feel... could she do that?"  
"That doesn't matter," he said and grabbed her hand. "Go whore yourself to somebody else."  
"Fine. I will," the blonde spat in his face and pushed past him.  
"I'm sorry about that Katherine," he said and wipes his face off.  
"Don't worry about it," she smiled at him.

And she took her risk, she brought her small hands to chest and rubbed him softly before bringing his lips to her briefly.

The music switched to something more upbeat, it had come out in the beginning of the year. Everyone had heard this song at least once before. It was different, no lyrics, just the music and the beat. The brass was brilliant.

One of Tommy Dorsey's best.

He smiled against her and pulled her onto the dance floor.

This music, to her, was like turning back the clock, traveling and returning to a previous life full of agony and lose. She embraced the music and in turn the music took control. She found herself in a different world.

Her movements flowed with a dazzling grace that took away the breath of every person around her. She could feel her soul become one with the music and she unleashed her emotions into her dance. She needed this as badly as she needed to breath.

She'd never had so much fun in her entire life. Her life although full of promise and opportunities due to her parents bank account, was dull and sheltered. Her weekends were spent mostly reading or watching a film with her parents, not that she'd ever cared or thought down on her life.

She wished for passion, for adventure, for something to make her heart race as it is now.

He spun her wildly and the floor cleared round them as they danced to the beat. Her entire being moved with a purposeful clarity. With each stride she made, he met her equally and it became more painfully obvious how great of a pair they were together.

As they left the floor laughing, people clamored in to be the new attention.

"Bring me somewhere private?" She said breathlessly as she bopped to the beat.  
"I know just the place," he smiled, his nose brushed against hers. "Come on."

She took his hand and he led her out the same way they came in.

"You like to read a lot, right?" He asked as they scaled the spiral staircase.  
"I do," she said and smiled at her.  
"Then you'll love when I show you this." He said and opened the french doors at the top of the staircase to reveal rows and rows of books.

It was like a scene out of Beauty and the Beast. She ran past him and her fingers touched over each and every book, reading its title and smiling as she found a few precious gems she'd always wanted to read.

Row after row of neatly lined up books with their spines facing outward, colour coded with dots, fiction section arranged in alphabetical order, young adults section, children's section with low shelves and floor cushions, tables for quiet study, and posters for old book clubs on the wall.

Dust collected everywhere as far as they could see, spider webs woven loosely around books, dirtied shelves, and stands, Busted lamps hung from the high ceilings, braided wires that were embedded into the cracked walls. The ground was littered with dirt, glass, books, and torn paper. The crevices in the wall allowed small amounts light to filter inside along with thin ropes of ivy. Dust floated lazily in the air causing them a difficult time breathing, and every step put more of it in to the air. All that was heard were the faint chirps of birds outside, the scurrying feet of invisible rodents, and the rustling of papers catching the draft.

"This is amazing!" She said and faced him. "Thank you for showing me."  
"Now what did you want to be alone for?" He asked and closed the doors behind them.  
"I just wanted to be with you, somewhere quiet." She replied, the beat of the music could be felt through the floor.

He stepped closer to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. It was like there was a crackling in the air. She doesn't remember feeling this way ever. Perhaps this was what it's like when people say they feel fireworks going off.

The feeling her mother had told her about this afternoon.

She emitted a tiny gasp when he he cupped her cheek. It was like he enchanted her, ensnaring her with his gaze. She tossed her hair onto her back and rest her hands on his shoulder. She sensed him squirm with desire and then the scent of his cologne drifted through the hair, a scent she was quickly becoming addicted to.

A tingling sensation ran down her spine as he leaned in and kissed her.

His right hand dropped to her thigh, pulling at the skirt that hangs so loose just below her knees. She couldn't move even if she tried, like his fingers have short circuited her mind in the best possible way.

They tumbled against a table, his eyes searched her. She smiled and kissed him back as he knew she would. With her lips she felt his mouth stretch wider than it should, fighting between a grin and their kiss.

He pulled back and just looked at her. She was a work of art in this dress that hugs the most perfect body he's ever seen in all his years. The way she moved to the music earlier, fluidly and with abandon, enchanted him.

To his utter shock, she laughed. The sound was clear even over the muffled music. Her face up close was perfect, with her dark eyes that could stare into anyone soul, high cheekbones and a straight nose. Her pink, plump lips stretched over two white lines of perfectly straight teeth.

"Is something wrong?" He could hear her husky voice clearly, and it sent a shiver down her spine.

God, even her voice was perfect.

"Come here," he whispered.

Her lips crashed on his in a frenzy. His hands pulled her up and they stood, wandering against the door. He held her lower half close to his as he slowed the kiss. One of her legs slipped between his, and his lips touched her neck.

He knew it was a long shot, but his hands slid slowly from her hips, cupping and squeezing that perfect derrière of hers, to the back of her thighs. Her breath hitched and she flinched. He loosened his grip and leaned his head against her.

"Hey... are you okay Katherine?" He asked.

She shook her head no and took in a shaky breath.

"Katherine it's okay," he whispered. "He hurt you. I don't expect anything from you."  
"I'm sorry," she turned her head away from him and closed her eyes. "I'd get it if you were upset with me."  
"God no, Katherine." He answered. "Never, I'd never be mad at you for somethin' like this."  
"He used to hit me if I said no, said it was my duty as a girlfriend." She muttered.  
"He's wrong. You don't owe me anythin' baby." He cupped her cheek. "Ok?"  
"But it's not about, it's about what you want... and you won't want me if I say no." She said in a hushed voice.  
"No... I want you. I'll always want you, but you're not ready for this." He reassured her.  
"I am... I am Ned." She stuttered. "I'm ready for this. I'm ready for us, I love you. I want to show you."  
"I'm not saying you don't love me. I'm saying you don't have to do thing syou aren't comfortable with, I am not William." He replied. "I will not push you into doing things you aren't ready for. Just tell me, always tell me if you're not ready." She nodded and he hugged her tightly. "Let's get you home before your folks have the sheriff lookin' for you."

She took his hand and smiled at him. They walked down the stairs slowly and left the library hand in hand.

Soon he had her outside her house and gave her kiss.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" She asked.  
"I work," he replied.  
"Then I'll stop by the shop... I want to see you gettin' your hands dirty." She said.  
"Well I'll see you tomorrow then rich girl," he laughed and shoved his hands in his pockets.  
"See you then, mechanic." She waved as he walked down her street and lit himself a cigarette.

She turned and touched the front door knob, she knew parents knew she was gone by now. It was half past ten, meaning half past her curfew if she'd told them she was leaving.

After slowly turning the knob and walking inside her dad flicked on the lamp next to his chair.

"Where have you been?" He cleared his throat.  
"I was with Ned," she answered.  
"Where?" He asked, as he stood from his chair.  
"At the old library out in south end." She replied as he stood in front of her.

She looked to her feet and he pulled her chin up to meet his eyes.

"Don't ever do that again," he said and hugged her. "That boy... does he treat you well?"  
"He really does daddy." She whispered. "I had the most fun I've ever had tonight."  
"Like what?" He asked.  
"He took me dancing and it was so... interesting. I could write about the different type of people I saw for days," she smiled.  
"I'm glad you had a good time," he smiled at her. "You worried the heck out of me and your mother. She would like it if you went and said goodnight to her."  
"Did she get another one of her migraines?" She asked.  
"She did," he replied. "So be quiet."

She made her way back toward her parents room and slipped inside to see her mother lying in bed with a rag on her forehead.

"Mama?" She whispered.  
"Oh Katie... you're home." Melinda yawned. "Come here, my sweets."

She gave her mother a hug and a kiss.

"We were worried when you didn't come home," Melinda answered. "Never do that again."  
"I'm sorry. I needed to get him out of there." She replied. "He didn't deserve it."  
"I know he didn't, but next time at least tell me where you're going." Melinda warned her. "You won't be grounded this time, but next time you'll be serious trouble young lady. Understand me?"  
"Yes mama," she nodded.  
"Now go get some rest," Melinda sat up enough to give her daughter a kiss on the forehead. "You can tell me all about what you did in the morning."  
"Alright," she whispered. "Sleep well mama."  
"I will," Melinda yawned and relaxes into her pillows once more. "Send your father in here, will ya?"  
"Daddy? Mama wants you," she said and gave him a hug and a kiss. "Goodnight."  
"Goodnight, princess." He said and closed his bedroom door behind him.

She walked into her room and closed the door behind her.

Today had been long, so long, but so fun.

She was able to quickly get herself unclothed and look at herself in the mirror. The bruises were getting worse, but she wasn't bleeding as much anymore.

A pair of arms wrapped around her cupped her breasts roughly, the hands being smooth frightened her.

"Miss me?" William whispered as he held the tip of a knife to her throat. "You scream and I will end you, okay?"

Her breath hitched as he pressed into her and kissed her neck.

"We've got a night of fun ahead of us," William muttered into her ear. "Hope you've got the energy for it."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Happiness is coming... I promise :) Enjoy! xx Mariah**

* * *

William held the knife to her throat and she gulped, the knife grazed against her skin.

She wasn't scared.

She couldn't breathe, it felt as if someone was choking her. Her heart raced and all she wanted to do was scream for someone to save her. But he'd kill her, and her parents. They couldn't die because of her. She'd wait until he was vulnerable, until he set the knife down.

A choked cry for help forced itself up her throat, and she felt a drop run down her cheek. It seemed as if this was the end of the road for her.

"You're mine," William grunted, and his grip on the knife loosened, he placed it on her dresser. "Not his. You'll always be mine."

He tightened his grip on her and he shoved her onto the bed.

"Why don't you see how much I love you?" He muttered and kissed her neck.  
"Daddy!" She screamed and he clamped his hands on her throat. "Dadd-"

She kicked and groaned as he cut off her air supply. She slapped his forearm and felt her tears sting and roll down her cheeks.

"Now you're gonna die," he sighed. "That's too bad. I wish you would've just listened to me."  
"Katie! What's wrong?" Her dad said and shook the doorknob, it was locked. "Unlock the door sweetheart."

She struggled against William as he pushed down harder and her started to see spots of black. She choked and her dad pounded on the door.

Her door burst open and revealed her father and his bare chest.

"Dad," she choked out as he grabbed William and threw him into the wall.

She'd never seen him so mad in her entire life. He just kept hitting William over and over and over again.

"You think you can hurt my little girl?" Her father screamed. "You think it's okay to hurt her over... and over... and over again!" He shook him and hit him, only getting a whimper for a response. "Answer me boy! Answer me!"

He hit him again until she couldn't recognize his face.

"Daddy... daddy stop." She cried and grabbed him off of William. "Please daddy..."

She hugged him tightly and he started to cry. He began to rock her back and forth and kissed her forehead.

"I love you," she whimpered.  
"I love you too," he muttered and rubbed her back.  
"What are we gonna do? They'll never believe us," she sobbed into his chest.  
"I'll figure something out," he whispered. "I always do."  
"I want mama," she whimpered.  
"Melinda! Melinda, honey..." He called out and the sound of footsteps came down the hallway.

She knelt down and took her daughter into her arms.

"What happened?" Melinda asked.  
"He was strangling her and I snapped." He sighed. "I need to call the cops."  
"I've got her," Melinda said and Jim kissed her as he left to telephone the police. "I've got you babygirl... he didn't touch you right?"  
"He didn't rape me again," she whimpered. "He was going to, but daddy stopped him."  
"Okay, just breathe." Melinda whispered and kissed her forehead.

She held her daughter tight to her chest as her head pounded and she rested her head on her daughters.

Her headaches have been getting worse every time she got them, and it didn't worry her until she started to get them every day, like the past three days.

* * *

She laid in the hospital bed as the monotone beep of the heart monitor rang in her ear, even with that, she had heard what the police had said about her.

That she deserved what she'd gotten because women needed to be dealt with accordingly. They weren't going to do anything to William for strangling her, he was being put under house arrest for sixty days once he was released from the hospital for breaking and entering.

Her father however was being forced to take a anger management class for breaking William's jaw, a broken eye socket and a cracked skull.

Also her two nurses had snickered about how she was called the nymphomania patient because calling rape wasn't really a thing when it came to significant others, especially previous significant others.

She needed some air, but she was told to stay in her room. Her steel-blue gown fell to her knee, fabric distressed by so much wear yet still rough. There was nothing to hold her mind or attention. Outside this room could be anything, anyone. There was nothing even to mark time.

Would someone come in five minutes or five hours?  
Would she know the difference?

The door opened and her heart jumped. She thought of William and balled the sheets up in her hand.

Her mother stepped in with a vase of flowers.

"It's too dreadful in here," Melinda said and set them on her bedside table. "How are you feeling?"

She wasn't able to talk, her throat had swollen shut from the amount of pressure William applied to it. So she gave her a simple thumbs-up and a smile.

"I brought you your favorite book to pass time. The doctor said you should be able to go home once the swelling goes down and the bleeding stops down there." She said and set down her copy of Beauty and the Beast. and a notebook. "And your notebook so you can write."

She flipped open the notebook and wrote a simple note for her mother and turned it over.

_Thank you so much mama. I love you to the moon._

"I love you too babygirl." She said and sat down next to her.

She tucked her daughter's curly hair behind her ear.

"I heard from your father that a certain mechanic came by the shop to ask how you were." She smiled toward Katie and smoothed out her dress.

She scribbled down quickly and flipped it over with a big grin.

_Ned?_

"Yes. He said he'd try and see you today on his lunch." She replied and rubbed her forehead. "Ugh.. ow."

_Another headache? Mama you need to get that checked out..._

"I'm fine." She muttered. "Really. I am, don't worry about me."

There was a knock on the door and Ned opened it.

She smiled and went to say his name but nothing came out.

"Oh baby," he said and closed the door to walk over to her. "You look good, real good."  
"I'm going to give you to some space," she replied and then kissed her daughter's head. "It's good to see you Ned."  
"You too, Mrs. Clancy." He smiled toward her and sat down on her bed. "How are you feeling? Are they treatin' you good in here?"

She pressed her lips to Ned's, kissing him deeply. The start of the soft touch sent a strong feeling of warmth spiraling through her system. Her eyes closed fearlessly, but the closure didn't let her see darkness, it instead created colours of fondness. Her tense nerves soon began to relax, her troubles, her pain began to melt away and the surroundings began to disappear leaving only her, her and Ned.

This.

This felt true.

This felt good.

This felt right.

His lips felt so gentle so warm, she felt her hands begin to slide up his chest and encircle his neck, as the kiss began to grow heavy. Ned's hand slid off her face and tightened around her waist. She continued kissing him hungrily wanting more. She felt herself being laid back against the bed and rock solid pillow, Ned's body pressing against hers.

The kiss went on, their lips moved in perfect sync and the kiss became more passionate by the second.

Her right hand flowed onto the his open skin under his green mechanic button-up. She didn't care that it was greasy, she wanted him, and her left hand began greedily undo his shirt. Their lips parted and clasped onto one another once again with an adding of more pressure. Ned's hand slid smoothly onto her arm, lifting it and pinning it against the bed.

Their kiss grew more greedy, her mouth locking tighter. The heat flowed throughout her body and began to grow as she felt his other hand slide through her cleavage and under the hem of her hospital gown, in contact with the buttons in the front, he slowly began to unhook them, her gown began to hang loosely, her breasts began to show and he latched onto one and sucked hard.

Reluctantly she leisurely began to open her eyes, eyelids relaxed as she slowly sucked in the cool air as he pulled away and looked at her.

Katie stared back, her eyes calm.

She rested her forehead upon his as her hand slipped back onto his bare skinned chest, light brown hairs skimmed across his chest. Her breath was slow.

With the little strength she had, she quietly whispered "I love you."

He buttoned-up her gown slowly and smiled at her.

"I love you too, girl." He muttered and then fixed his own shirt. "Will you be mine?"

She took his hand and pressed it to her chest and nodded.

"And not like the girl I hide away in the library to kiss." He explained. "I want you to be the girl I marry, the girl I settle down and make a home with. I won't be him, I won't be William. I'd never hurt you. I want us to be like your parents, so happily in love that we gross our kids out."

Their lips captured once more before he let go and laid down next to her. She settled her head down on his chest and cuddled into his chest, nodding slightly.

"I only have a bit more time, but I'll be back once my shift is over." He whispered into her hair. "I promise."  
"Okay," she squawked and then decided that would be enough taking for today.

She'd said what needed to be said without straining herself too much.

And that was all that mattered.

* * *

A few days later Melinda walked through the supermarket and felt the eyes of everyone as she looked at the meat section.

This whole fiasco was the chatter of the town, and every housewife loved themselves some good ole juicy gossip.

Her eyes skimmed over the pork chops and the steaks. The prices had went up and she was happy she didn't have to worry about this sort of thing like other people did. Some people would bite their nails over a pork roast costing thirty five cents a pound, and she could buy two without thinking about it.

She pushed her shopping cart toward the ground beef and got herself a pound of that as well. It was nearing grilling season and Jim loved to grill almost every night of the summer, even if it meant putting on some unwanted weight.

"Oh Melinda darling... how are you doing?" Edna Davis asked as she reached for a carton of eggs.  
"I'm doing great. Katherine is being released from the hospital today and James is cooking her favorite." She said with a smile. "I think we're glad to have her home, and she's excited to be sleeping in her own bed."

Jim hated to be called by his nickname by anyone other than family or close friends, and the Davis' were not friends. They weren't even acquaintances, even when Katie dated their son.

"I know Edward and I would be so ashamed if Betty ever accused her husband of such an awful thing." Edna explained and reached for a pound of bacon. "William would have never hurt her."  
"But he did," she answered.  
"Boys will be boys. He has his father's temper." Edna said. "I bet Jim gets a little angry and knocks you or Katie around a bit when you act up."  
"My husband would never lay a hand let alone say a harsh word to me or our daughter. Any man who does isn't a man, he is a coward." She said and walked away.  
"Oh and Melinda, please don't come to the weekly housewife club. We don't need your modernist views there anymore," Edna said with a smile.  
"Good thing I didn't like like," she answered and turned down the detergent aisle.

She held in her anger by continuing to shop, knowing when she got home her husband and daughter would be there.

Her two favorite people.

She felt another headache coming on and rubbed her forehead softly. She needed to get that looked at.

And soon.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I know this is a Ked story, but this chapter, and this chapter in the beginning will be mostly Jimel followed by the ending being mostly Ked :) Enjoy! xx Mariah**

* * *

Two weeks later, Melinda laid in bed in her cotton nightgown, sweat dripped off her body and soaked the sheets.

It wasn't even that hot out. Her head throbbed and her stomach lurched as she pushed the blankets from her.

She hadn't felt this way since she was pregnant that Katie.

_Pregnant_ _with_ _Katie._

She couldn't get pregnant. Could she?

She and Jim had went to seventeen different doctors when Katie was three trying to get pregnant, and after two years of failing one of the many doctors flat told them to stop trying, that something must've happened when she had Katie.

That God blessed them with one child, and that, that was all they were going to get. And they did just that. They stopped trying, and when nothing happened they just believed Katie was all they needed.

"Jim!" She yelled and sat up. "Jim! Jim come here!"

The door opened and he ran to her side.

"Hey... calm down." He whispered and kissed her sweaty forehead. "I'm here."  
"I think I'm pregnant," she said softly.  
"What? But we can't get pregnant," he said and wiped her face of sweat. "You're just tired and sick. Lay down and you'll feel better after a nap."  
"We don't know that." She answered.  
"Melinda, we have never used any sort of protection in all of the times we've made love. And you only got pregnant with Katherine, and then never again." He explained. "Why would it happen now?"  
"My headaches, it's the same thing that happened when we found out about Katie. I haven't been able to eat anything because I can't keep food down." She explained to him. "And now that I think about it, I haven't had my period in who knows how long."  
"Maybe you're going through... what do the doctors call it..." He muttered. "Menopause, that thing when women start to stopping getting their periods. My mother started to go through that when she was around our age."

She shook her head and then rubbed her forehead.

"Maybe," she whispered. "You're probably right. I just-"  
"I know..." He said and kissed her forehead. "I would love it if you were. You know I'll call the doctor's for an appointment just in case, we'll never give up hope." He ran his fingers over her slim stomach slowly. "I would be so happy if you were though, and so would Katherine."  
"What would I be happy about?" Katie asked as she walked in with a glass of water and a wash rag for her mother.  
"If we had another baby," she said softly.  
"Is that even possible?" Her eyebrow arched and she smiled.

Katie doted on her mother whenever she was sick, even when she was little. Her mother always called it practice for when she was older, and could actually be a nurse and do this for a living.

She pressed the rag to her mother's forehead and dabbed the sweat away before giving her glass.

"Drink up," Katie reminded her. "Keep hydrated."  
"You worry too much," she says taking a drink. "Both of you."  
"We worry just enough," he whispers. "Someone's got to when you don't worry about yourself as much as you should."  
"If you are pregnant, will you let me help pick out his or hers name?" Katie asked.  
"As long as it isn't something from one of your books," he reminded her.  
"Jim... don't," she laughed. "Of course you can help, if I am pregnant. It's a long shot, but this is how I was before I had you."

Her heart fluttered when she thought about her experience with pregnancy.

It was beautiful in everyway possible. The way her stomach swelled and the way Jim would dote on her, always smiling whenever he got to talk to his little girl, always pressing kisses to her swollen stomach, and always showing her off because she was swollen with his child.

Their little girl.

She loved how she connected with her daughter before she was even born, the little things like her first kicks and when she started to show heavily on her mind. She hoped and prayed that this was true.

That her feelings weren't just all in her head. That she would have another child with her one true love.

* * *

She stared at the ceiling as she laid on the cold and hard surface of the doctor's exam table.

It was a few day later, and Jim said he was able to call in a favor with a friend to have her checked out. She'd went in the day after her morning revelation and gave blood and urine for testing.

"Melinda? Hi, I'm Phillip, your husband's uncle. I don't believe we've ever met." The doctor said and shook her head. "I have your test results."  
"Hi, nice to meet you." She said and sat up, her hands in front of her stomach softly. "What do my results say?"  
"You're pregnant!" The doctor exclaimed.

Her heart jumped and she looked down at her stomach. She didn't know how she felt.

Happy, excited, overwhelmed, nervous and overall she was just so happy that she was pregnant with Jim's child that, that's all she needed.

Jim's child.

Their second child.

"How far along am I?" She asked.  
"You are..." The doctor said and opened her file. "You are about fourteen weeks along."

She nodded and then touched her stomach softly.

"I heard you and Jim had some troubles after your first daughter, so this must be pretty exciting." The doctor asked. "Is she excited to be a big sister?"  
"Yeah, she's sixteen now." She said softly. "And is interested in nursing, so she'll be doting on me every second to make sure I'm okay, as will my husband."  
"Oh. The way he talked about her, I thought she was way younger." The doctor laughed. "Well I better let you change into your clothing. I have another patient to see. Tell Jim I say hello."  
"I will," she said and reached for her dress.

She couldn't wait to be home.

To tell her husband about their soon-to-be child.

* * *

She hurried over to his car shop and parked their 1942 Chevrolet Convertible safely across the street before she ran inside.

Without even asking if he was in or busy, she opened his office door.

"Honey, what are you doing here?" He asked as he reached for his coat. "I was just about to come home for an early lunch and see how your appointment went. By the way, how did that go sweetheart?"  
"Very well," she grinned. "I'm pregnant."

Without a moment to spare, he spun her around and planted a big kiss on her lips.

"You're pregnant?" He gasped.  
"I am," she cheered.  
"But how? They always said..." He whispered and then kneeled down.  
"True love always wins," she whispered.

He pressed his lips to the floral print of her dress, his hands smoothing out the wrinkles as he peered up at her.

"A baby," he whispered.  
"Our little gift from God." She answered as he stood.

He embraced her and spun her around once more, his lips found hers and he kissed her deeply. His large hands found her hips before she had the chance to move. He picked her up and brought her to his desk clearing it and laying her down.

"I missed you," he murmured, his blue eyes still bright behind the dark frames of his glasses despite his obvious exhaustion of having to wear them for work when he does the numbers.

She smiled softly as her heart pattered wildly against her ribs. It had been a ridiculously busy week for him here, all of his annual number being due tomorrow night at closing. She reached up and pulled his glasses from his face face and smiled at him.

"This is why we're pregnant," she laughed softly.

She didn't bother wasting time with words, resting her hands against his rumpled dress shirt as she leans up and captures his tie with her hands, pulling him down to kiss her. He responded instantly, pressing her against the cool wood desk behind her while his hands grazed over her body, reacquainting themselves with each curve. She whimpered against him when his thumb and forefinger found her nipple through the fabric of her dress, pinching gently while his free hand massages her other breast.

Each nerve in her body came alive, an electric wire wanted to burst into flames. For this reason, her fingers fumbled against his belt buckle, her mind struggled to coordinate movements. His lips trailed along her neck, searching for that spot that always caused her breath to hitch inside her throat. He found it in a matter of seconds, right when she finally pulled the belt from his slacks and it clattered to the floor.

"Jim," she moaned softly, her fingers buried themselves in his thick, greying black curls lit up by the afternoon sunlight pouring into the small office.  
"Stay here," he whispered and pulled away from her.

He went to shut the blinds and lock his office door, making sure no one could see or get in. He raced back over to her, and groaned as his lips met with her skin once more and trailed hot kisses across her collarbone, his hands found the hem of her dress and pulled it up slowly to her stomach.

"I'm going to need you to unbutton this for me," He stated firmly, his eyes landing on the button-top of the dress, his hand glided over her calf as he sent her a lopsided grin. "I have something to take care of that I've had on my mind all week."

She doesn't need to be told twice. Her fingers make quick work of the buttons before she bares her chest to him. A growl emanated from somewhere deep inside of him and caused a sharp tug somewhere behind her navel.

He leaned down against her and took her left breast into his mouth, he looked up at her his eyes were nearly black, the blue of his irises only a thin ring. She knew what's coming and she wanted it – no – needed it, but that didn't stop the sharp exhalation that she gave when Jim's mouth moved hungrily upon her.

Her arms shook under the weight of supporting her upper half and she decided to give up while she's ahead and lay back. Jim's eyes are glued to hers as he nibbled on her. His lips and tongue were sweeping around, moving in circles, making her feel alive and warm.

She brought her hands to his slacks and pulled them down, revealing him completely to her. He reached underneath her and removed her underwear swiftly before entering her.

His lips met hers as he thrusted inside her, she clutched him closer, pulling him toward her like he could fill her up even deeper, harder, faster. He wrapped his hands under her arms and holds onto her shoulders, keeping her body in place as he drove into her relentlessly.

Her heels dug into the back of his legs as she came with a whispered shout, so that others at his work wouldn't know, and he found his release and spilled into her. He collapsed against her and they were a trembling, sweaty, satiated mess.

He held her close in the silence that followed, his chest pressed against hers as she rests on the desk catching her breath. He nuzzled gently against her neck, humming softly as he nipped and licked here and there.

"We're pregnant," he whispered playfully, his hand snuck up along her olive skin and rested on her slim stomach.  
"We are," she said with a watery smile and pulled his lips to her. "We really are, Jim."

* * *

Ned had been invited to dinner in the hopes of Katherine's parents getting to know the man who their daughter was falling in love with.

Soon after dinner and dessert were both served, Ned asked for permission to take Katie out for stroll, both of them wanting to give her parents some time alone.

They given them the okay and knew they wouldn't be back in fifteen minutes.

"Young love," Melinda laughed as the front door closed.  
"Don't remind me," Jim muttered and rubbed his forehead.  
"Hey... while their gone do you want to you know..." She whispered and then winked at him.  
"Dirty little bird," he whispered. "Of course I do."

He stood up and then kissed her deeply, pulling her to her feet slowly.

**~x~**

They walked down Patterson Lane, two streets down and were enjoying the full moon.

"How many stars do you believe there are in the night sky?" He whispered in her ear.  
"Five hundred million? You?" She asked looking up at the night sky.  
"I don't know," he laughed in response adn she joined him.

The street came to end and he kept walking.

"Where are we going?" She asked as the walked through the damp moss.  
"You'll see," he winked at her.  
"Ned..." She said and stopped in her tracks.  
"You'll just have to trust me!" He called out and took off running.

She stood there until he disappeared in the treeline.

Her heart raced as she looked over her shoulder and saw that no one was outside. She trusted him. She really did.

And so she ran after him, after about five minutes of running she and came to a clearing where there was a sparkling lake. She looked over her shoulder to see if he was behind her.

"Ned?" She called out as she slipped out of her shoes to let the sand go between her toes.

It was cool and felt so good against her skin. She continued to walk and stopped at the shoreline, the tide cresting at her feet. He approached her cautiously, part of him wondering if she was about to yell at him for leaving her in the oss back there, maybe. She turned to him abruptly, her expression intense.

"There you are," she said softly. "I was worried when I didn't see you. Is this where you were taking me?"  
"Yeah…" He answered and smiled at her. "I thought maybe we could be risque ourselves."

She looked at him with confusion and then smiled.

"I thought maybe we could go for a swim," he said.  
"I'm not really dressed for swimming," she laughed and looked down at her dress.  
"Neither am I," he replied.

Her eyebrows shot up, and she gasped.

"Oh! Oh... no I'm not that kind of girl." She muttered.  
"I'm not saying you are," he said and removed his jacket. "Because you aren't a whore by any means, but that doesn't mean you can't have fun."

She chewed on her bottom lip.

"Turn around. Don't watch me undress," she said softly.

He obeyed, turning around, and even over the crashing of the waves, he could hear the rustling of her dress as she stripped. She was actually doing it. He did not think she'd actually do it.

Pulling his white t-shirt over his head, he kicked his own shoes off as he unfastened his shorts, faltering when he went to push them and his boxer-briefs down. She was actually doing it… his bottoms hit the sand a second later, and he took a deep breath.

"Can I turn around yet?" he asked, the ocean breeze prickling his skin.  
"If you want," she called, but he heard splashing as she waded into the water.

He spun around, drinking in the sight of her lithe, naked form striding through the waves. The moonlight highlighted the curve of her derrière, and he willed his body not to react. He heard her gasp, her arms wrapping around her waist.

"Oh, it's cold," she muttered, stopping when the water reached her hips.

Shaking his head, Ned followed her into the water, stomping through the waves that crashed against his shins, unable to stifle his gasp. She turned to face him then, which he was not prepared for, the heat of her gaze on him, and he stumbled backward slightly when a wave caught him off balance. When he righted himself, he realized she was staring at him, the water not high enough on him to shield his anatomy, and he flushed, fighting the urge to shield himself.

He wasn't shy about himself. He knew that he was above average length, above average height and weight in muscle.

"LIke what you see?" He asked.  
"Uh-sorry," she whispered.  
"Don't apologize. It's just curiosity." He responded and smiled at her. "You're beautiful, yourself. Even more beautiful than I would've imagined."

He could make out the distinct outlines of her breasts and the peaks of her nipples, all the blood that wasn't retreating to his organs from the frigid water was surely racing to his erection.

He shuffled a little farther into the lake, but the push and pull of the waves still gave her glimpses of him. This was not a good look for him.

"It's cold," he said defensively.

She flicked her wide eyes up to his face.

"That's you _cold_?" She asked.

He blinked. Did he detect awe in her voice? He was momentarily stunned by her compliment, and his eyes lingered on her breasts. Even in the dark, he could distinguish the dusky color of her nipples, pebbled by the chill. His tongue darted out to lick his lips absently.

"You look cold, too," he said.

Her hands shot up to cover her breasts reflexively, but then she stilled them, forcing them back to her sides, and she turned, wading farther out.

Why had he said that? He was a moron.

Ned watched her dive under a rolling wave, disappearing momentarily until she resurfaced a few feet away, just her head bobbing above the surface. It was too dark to tell if she was looking at him, but he thought he could feel the heat of her gaze on him; he grew increasingly uncomfortable, so he moved closer till the water churned around his chest. He didn't feel comfortable letting his feet leave the safety of the floor, not at night, and he was concerned about her, too, though she seemed strangely at ease in the water.

"Are you not going to swim?" She called to him, stretching her neck up to clear a passing wave.

He shook his head.

"I'm good right here," he replied, digging his toes into the sand.

His body was acclimating to the temperature now, but the ebb and flow of the current on his erection felt strange.

"Then what was the point of going swimming?" She asked, her arms beating through the water to maintain her position.

He arched an eyebrow.

"To get naked, of course," he answered readily.

To his surprise, she laughed. She had warmed up to him considerably in the last few minutes. Why hadn't he asked her to go swimming sooner? He could kick himself for being such a coward.

"Well…it's kind of awkward having a conversation with you so far away," she mused, cutting through the water to close the distance between them.

When she was closer, she stopped, her head dipping under the surface some, and she spit out some water.

"I can't touch the ground here," she said.

He started to move backward, toward shallower water.

"We can get closer to shore—" But her hands on his biceps stopped him, and his eyes widened as she dragged herself closer to him.  
"This is fine," she breathed. "Just need something to hold onto."  
"Okay," he murmured, grabbing onto her elbows.

She was painfully close to him now; he felt the tips of her breasts graze his chest every time a wave would knock her into him. How was he supposed to have a conversation with her like this?

Her hands slid up to his shoulders, curling around the muscles there, and then she was flush against him. Her grip aggravated his erection, but he wasn't going to object. He went rigid at the feel of her naked body pressed against his; he was swelling again, wedged between her pelvis and his thigh. He swallowed thickly, resting his hands on her hips. At this distance, he could make out every feature of her face. Her eyes were watching his face closely, her lips parted slightly. Beads of water dotted her face, dripping from her freckled nose, glistening in the moonlight.

He swallowed again.

"This is strange," she whispered; her warm breath felt delicious on his cool, wet skin.  
"Hm?" he asked dumbly, trying not to let his gaze dip to the tantalizing sight of her breasts pressed against his chest.

She shook her head slightly.

"I don't know. I don't think I'm normally this, um…bold, though dumb is probably the better word." She explained. "But I guess it's easier to be more forward in the dark."

He took a deep breath, his stomach expanding against hers.

"Just how crazy are you thinking of getting tonight?" She asked lowly, trying to crack a joke, but her voice came out lustier than she'd intended.

He twitched as her eyelashes fluttered against her cheeks, her eyes dropping to his mouth. He didn't know what he expected her to say—anything, really, but his arm snaked around her neck, and he hitched her up to kiss him. Her lips were soft and wet, and he pulled them between his own to taste before opening his mouth wider. His hands tightened on her hips when she pushed her tongue into his mouth, sliding their tongues together experimentally. Her wet fingers wove through his dry curls as she tilted her head to kiss him deeper.

Her legs naturally parted to wrap around his waist, his hands dropping to hold the back of her thighs, but when his growing erection accidentally slid through the heat between her thighs, he groaned in surprise.

Katie jerked away with a gasp, her eyes locking with his. Then she pushed off him and began swimming back to shore. It took a long moment for his brain to catch up with what was happening.

She wasn't ready for this, not after everything with William.

"I'm sorry!" He said to her, panicked, cursing his inability to control his body's reaction to her.

She turned around, standing up now that she could touch the bottom. He gulped, hard, when her breasts came into view.

"Don't be sorry," she called to him, moving backward as she continued to the beach. "Be bold and dumb."

He gaped at her wordlessly, then he was slicing through the water after her, the waves pushing him forward easily, and he reached the shoreline a few steps behind her. He was very aware of his prominent erection, but he didn't much mind anymore. She whirled around as he reached her, his arms circling her waist. Her mouth fell open—but from invitation or surprise, he wasn't sure; he hesitated, _just in case_ —just in case he was wrong, just in case he had misread her.

She pushed up on her toes to crash her mouth to his, eradicating all doubt. Their mouths slanted together like they'd been doing this forever, their tongues dipping into the other's mouth alternatingly, to taste, to explore, to possess. Her hands trailed over his shoulders, his chest, around his sides to his back, wrapping her body around his. The smooth skin of her stomach was soft against him; it was agonizing.

Whimpering faintly around his tongue, she dropped her hand between their torsos to cup him. His mouth went slack as he inhaled sharply, his eyes widening before closing again. She took the opportunity to nip and suck on his lips. Then she tipped her chin back to break the kiss, compelling him to open his eyes in wonder.

She spoke first.

"Be gentle?" She asked. He blinked rapidly, and she continued, her eyes crinkling with embarrassment. "I just mean— he was never caring for me, at all. I want us to be different."  
"I know," he breathed uneasily, framing her face with his hands as he searched her face.

Where was she going with this? Her fingers still loosely gripped him, the touch fleeting but persistent.

He grabbed his pants and pulled out protection. He clutched it in his hand and his eyes quickly found her, standing in the same spot staring at him.

"You're handsome, very handsome." She whispered. "And you're bigger than him... much... bigger." She looked down at her feet. "I'm nervous that you won't... you know... fit?"  
"I'll be gentle. I promise," he whispered and kissed her. "And it'll hurt for a second until you get used to me."

She nodded sheepishly and he stepped in front of her, tilting her chin up in acquiescence, her eyelids fluttering closed automatically, and he cupped her jaw to bring her lips to his. Her tongue met his willingly, and her arms encircled his shoulders to press his body closer.

His erection stirred again; she must have felt it because she gasped and guided them to the beach floor. The moonlight making the flushed olive skin of her face glow.

They moved together awkwardly until she was stretched out on her back underneath him; as he braced himself above her, he tried not to stare when the moonlight revealed the small patch of curls that dipped between her thighs—not that he hadn't seen it all already, but there was just something oddly more intimate about this moment.

Maybe because they were about to have be together. That was probably it.

He laughed slightly at his thoughts, and Katie eyed him.

"What? What's funny?" She whispered, and he hurried to reassure her.  
"Nothing, I just—when I suggested we go swimming, I swear it wasn't just a ploy to get you to be with me," he explained nervously. "I wasn't thinking this at all."  
"Oh." She frowned a little, the skin between her brows pinching together. "You didn't think about this at all?"

He blinked.

"Oh, I mean—no. No, I definitely… _definitely_ have thought about this. A lot. Before then, even," he said.

Maybe he was revealing too much, but her face relaxed, her lips parted just ever so slightly. He felt her chest expand underneath his as she inhaled.

"Okay," she said simply. Then she added, "Good."

His throat bobbed as he swallowed, his body tensing as she trailed her hands down over him, gripping him and moving her hand slowly. Her body was fully bare under his. She was heart-stopping.

Her voice startled him from his blatant appreciation.

She was nervous.

She rolled her lips together, fighting a grin, and she steepled her hands behind his neck to draw him down for a kiss. Her breath was warm against his mouth, and she parted her lips to mold them to his, touching her tongue to his. She shifted underneath him until her thighs cradled his hips; he tried to focus on stroking her tongue, biting at her lips, instead of the heat radiating from her, but it made him twitch desperately.

Soon, he was fully hard and aching.

He broke the kiss with a gasp and trailed his lips down her neck, his tongue darting out to lick a wet trail to her shoulder where he sucked lightly. He forced himself to stop before he could leave a mark. She was breathing heavily, her neck stretched out. He glanced up at her quickly, then he lifted his hand to settle between them, cupping her left breast. She inhaled deeply, her teeth catching her bottom lip; he kneaded the mound more enthusiastically, circling her nipple with his thumb. He brushed the erect bud with the pad of his finger repeatedly, back and forth, before he lifted the weight of her breast in his hand to his mouth.

When he sucked her nipple between his lips, she moaned harshly. She tasted like a chocolate bar would to a child. He sucked harder, eliciting another guttural moan from her throat, and her fingers twisted in his hair, tugging slightly. He breathed out sharply around her nipple, throbbing at the sensation, then he moved to her other breast, scraping his teeth over the hardened peak until she squirmed impatiently.

She had never felt like this before, like she was being care for in every way possible.

That he truly loved her.

Ned shifted his weight off one arm and slipped it between her thighs, ghosting his fingers through the slick juncture of her thighs; she gasped, her abdomen tensing, and a strangled noise stuck in his throat.

She was wet.

He looked up at her for a yes, not wanting to push her. She nodded eagerly and smiled at him.

He pressed down harder, sliding two fingers through the slippery folds to gather more of her arousal, then he dragged them up until they caught on the swollen cleft of her center. She whimpered and arched under him as he stroked and circled, pushing her toward release; he lifted his head from her chest to watch her face, her features contorting and relaxing with the building pleasure. He positioned himself farther up her body so his face hovered over hers, and her eyes snapped open when she felt his lips flutter against hers idly, his teeth catching her bottom one periodically. Her irises were black in the moonlight, wide but dark as they stared at each other. She was panting now, her mouth open as she sucked in air, her eyes struggling to maintain contact with his, but then they clamped shut a moment later; her mouth stretched open to release a broken, punctuated moan as she came, and she dipped her head back, inadvertently pulling on his hair.

Mesmerized, he probed between her folds and carefully pushed his index and middle fingers inside her; her walls fluttered with the contractions of her orgasm, and she grunted as her body adjusted to the intrusion.

"Oh Ned," she breathed, and he pumped his digits inside her a few times until she slumped to the seat, withdrawing them to snatch the condom packet he had dropped on the floor.

He pushed himself up to a kneeling position, hunching over her awkwardly.

"I thought I could be smoother about this," he cracked wryly, and his fingers, coated in her lubrication, slipped as he struggled to rip it open. She finally returned to herself and opened her eyes to look at him.

"I can do it," she offered weakly, taking it from him.

He tried not to seem too excited about the prospect of her putting it on him. Once she had the prophylactic out of the packaging, she pinched the tip and rolled it down his erection to the base. His eyes closed briefly as he inhaled deeply, then he situated himself between her thighs, gripping himself in one hand to push inside her.

Her hands tightened on his shoulders, her back bowing slightly as her body welcomed him, her breathy moan echoing his choked groan. She clenched around him reflexively once he'd pushed into her, and he dropped his face to the crook of her neck.

She felt amazing.

She cried out and he felt her tears against his skin. Her shaky exhale reached his ears.

"I…I've never felt anything before. He wasn't ever concerned about my needs," she said, voice strained, her short nails raking back and forth over his shoulders lightly.

It was a soothing gesture, he buried his tight laugh against the hollow of her throat

"He was that bad, huh? Well just promise not to judge me too harshly when I finish in the next 30 seconds," he joked self-deprecatingly, and she laughed airily. "You feel so good. So warm, and beautiful."

He began moving, slowly, tentatively at first, but then faster, more purposefully; he couldn't go slow, not now, not with such a magnificent creature under him, bucking her hips in earnestness. Her body became more pliable with each thrust, warming underneath him like clay in his hands; her thighs gripped his waist tightly. She pressed one hand against the sand above beside her.

Her whimpers were soft and rhythmic, creating a hypnotic sort of melody to the collision of their bodies. His own grunts were jagged and amelodic and hot on the skin of her neck, and after a few minutes he finally lifted his head to seek out her lips for a frantic kiss; she opened her mouth eagerly, swallowing his grunt.

When her walls gripped him again, he felt himself tighten in response.

"Oh Katherine," he hissed against her teeth. "I'm gonna... oh god I'm not gonna last."  
"Ned," she whimpered and brought his lips to hers.

He pressed his forehead to hers, kissing her greedily as he rocked against her shallowly; he pulsed as he emptied himself, and his moan was lost around her tongue.

He gave himself a moment to compose himself, dropping his forehead to rest on her shoulder, before he pulled out of her. He suddenly became aware of how sweaty he was, feeling his skin cool significantly as the heat of the moment faded. Her chest was flushed, but he noticed bumps tightening her skin.

With a small smile, she rolled over to rest her head on him.

"I've never felt anything like that before... I-thank you for showing me what I'm capable of feeling," she said, and he smiled hazily at her, still reeling from his orgasm. "I love you. I love you so much."

He awkwardly pulled the protection from him, tossing it away. He regarded it warily as she sat up beside him; she must have noticed his hesitation.

"What?" she asked.

He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Nothing, just…trying to figure out how I'm gonna get you home covered in sand without your parents freaking out," she laughed heartily at that, her cheeks reddening.

Then she lifted her eyebrows suggestively, her hand curling around his forearm.

"Who said we have to go back in just yet?" She said softly.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Just a relaxing Sunday at home :)**

* * *

 

It was Sunday afternoon, Melinda and Jim were enjoying their time together.

Melinda reading a book and Jim crunching numbers for the shop.

"Do you think she's awake?" Jim asked peering at her through his glasses.  
"It's nearing noon," Melinda said looking at the clock. "But I know she's been up since early."  
"Why didn't she come to church with us?" He asked. "Is she having another bad day?"  
"No," she laughed. "She just... she's enjoying time with Ned."  
"Ned? Ned's here?" He said. "In her room alone with her?"  
"He's been in there since last night, crawled through her window." She replied and looked back down at her book.

Jim stood up and took his glasses off, throwing them down with a plop.

"Oh sit down," she laughed. "Put your glasses back on and do your work."  
"They are in there alone Melinda," he muttered.  
"I trust him. Don't you?" She asked and looked up from her page.  
"Well I guess," he answered.  
"Then sit down," she laughed. "We did the same thing."  
"So?" He asked.  
"So don't go bustin' in on them when we were sneaking around the same way," she explained. "She's careful, wouldn't do anything she wasn't ready for, and he wouldn't force her. He isn't William, James."

He sat down and picked up his glasses and slid them back on.

 _He looked so handsome with them on_ , she thought.

"You should go tell them to get out of bed," he cleared his throat and scribbled something down.  
"I will once I finish this chapter," she replied and turned the page.

He simply nodded and they went back to their comfortable silence.

She set her bookmark inside and closed her book, going over to kiss Jim's head.

"Take a break before you get another migraine." She muttered softly, f. "But don't take your eyeglasses off."  
"I only use them when I'm readin'," he muttered.  
"Your eyes are gettin' worse and you know it," she reminded him. "I had to read a street sign you the other day."  
"Well maybe I'll start wearin' them more, but only if you like them." He coughed.  
"You look dashing, love." She whispered and ruffled his hair. "Keep them on."

He chuckled and tapped her rear as she left, earning himself a look over her shoulder and laugh.

She made it to Katie's bedroom door. She knocked.

 _Twice_.

But there was no answer. Katie was surely up, it was almost noon. She probably couldn't hear him knocking. She tried the knob, and the door easily opened.

"Katherine it's-" She said softly.

Her words fell short at the sight. There was her daughter curled up next to Ned Banks _,_ with her head on his chest and his arms securely around her. His fingers grazed over her bare skin and a smile came to the mother's face.

She breathed in and leaned against the door frame, and carefully studied the face of her daughter. Her face was clear of a frown, clear of exhaustion and the haunted look that had been worn ever since William. Her lips were slightly parted and her hand lay on the Ned's chest, above his heart. She couldn't help but admit that she looked peaceful… she looked so content, so much like a girl with no worries. With no dark cloud hanging over her head.

It warmed Melinda's heart, to see her so content in his arms.

And the mechanic's son, who looked so run down and aged beyond his years when she first saw him alongside Katie, looked healthy. His pale skin did not look sickly, instead it glowed. His lips curved into a small smile, and his hands twitched, his fingers curling around her arm lightly.

They looked like a couple, she realized. A happy couple that was perfectly content in each other's arms for the rest of their days.

And it was then when her heart grew two sizes.

But seeing her in the blonde boy's arms, seeing her look safe and secure…seeing Katie with her restored light that the dark thoughts consumed, she felt happy. She felt happy that her daughter could find peace with the boy.

No matter how much it hurt to see her all grown up.

She closed the door quietly behind her and made her way toward the living room.

Her husband was now lounging on the couch still wearing his black eyeglasses. She had always loved him for his mind but it always took her breath away whenever he wore glasses; as foolish as it was it made him look so much smarter.

Swiftly she went into the kitchen and grabbed him a beer. He wasn't a drinker like the other men of the town, but he enjoyed one or two when relaxing at home.

She twisted the top off, throwing it into the wastebasket and brought it to him, sitting next to him.

"Thank you," he said and kissed her.

She smiled at him and looked at him.

To be honest, she loved just lookin' at her husband. He was so handsome, she was lucky to have such a handsome, strong man in her life.

His greying black hair was swept back with gel and his skin lightly tanned. His blue eyes and plump lips.

Shifting sideways, he looked at her through his lenses lovingly. His eyes glistened in the light and he smiled at her and dimples appeared. She know what was coming and glanced shyly back at him. His hand reached under her hair below her ear, his thumb caressing her cheek. Suddenly she saw him, his eyes revealed more than his words could ever express.

Her lips parted and their breaths mingled. Her heart fluttered as he drew her in for a kiss.

"Is the Banks' boy in there?" Jim asked as they parted, taking a drink of his beer.  
"Yes, they are still sleeping." She answered and rubbed the back of his neck. "She's happy with him, I haven't seen her look so peaceful in a long time."  
"That's good, my dear." He whispered as she laid her head on his shoulder. "I'm peaceful with you."  
"Me too," she answered as his fingers played with the loose material around her stomach.  
"I can't wait for you to start getting bigger," he laughed. "I'm crazy to say that, I know. But I just love how beautiful you look pregnant with my child."  
"I do too," she said and looked up at him. "You're not crazy, love."  
"Crazy for you," he whispered and brought her lips to his briefly once more.

She was content with their peaceful life, and she wished for nothing more.

* * *

Ned spoke before Katherine got the chance.

"I love you," he said softly.

There was something in his candour that worried her, this wasn't Ned. He wasn't usually direct like this.

"I love you, Katherine. I love you with everything that I am but I'm so scared that if you stay with me you'll only be hurt more." He said and looked at her.

So this was it. It was his sense of chivalry that was holding him back. She didn't know whether to hit him or hug him.

"These are my choices, Ned. Isn't that what truly defines us? Not the darkness that wallows in the recesses of our minds but the things we do to be together?" She asked. "I love you, Ned Banks, and I will love you until I am no longer able to feel. No one and nothing will ever change that."

He looked away, she knew his eyes are full of emotion he didn't want to share.

"I can't protect you when you get out there, Katherine. I'll be helpless and I'm so afraid. I'd rather put myself in the firing line infinite times than have you there just once. You know what William will do if we're together." He sighed. "I never want to see you hurt like that again." His voice trailed off.

How could she have been so dumb to start a romance with everything going on. But was there really a choice? Without love how would she go on fighting?

"Ned, I love you more every day, more than words can ever express. I would live infinite lifetimes by your side if I could. But this battle has our names on it, we're meant to be together." She said and pressed a kiss to his chest. "We are meant to fight this together, to be together forever."

He began to nod slowly.

This wasn't they deserved, but if they wanted a life, a marriage, even children maybe, they must head through the battle together and will come out stronger.

There was so much in Ned's silence, so much he just won't say.

She could see by his expression there was a lot going on in his head, but if she asked he'd just say he was thinking of how pretty she was. Got to give the boy some credit, he's smoother than silk. He flashed the smile that had her tied up tighter than a banker's money, but unlike a vault, wasn't claustrophobic at all.

She was safe with him, even if he did keep secrets. Loving him didn't give her right to know every pain and doubt, to rummage through the wreckage of his head. Some scars were invisible, she knew he carried his share. She slipped her hand into his and they laid there, just two lovers, happy, connected.

"Want me to stay?" He asked.

It was while before she spoke again.

"Yes," she finally whispered, looking up at him. "I do."  
"What about your parents?" He cleared his throat.  
"They know," she laughed against his skin.  
"You don't know that Katherine," he said pushing her hair out of her face to kiss her forehead.  
"Oh trust me. They know." She muttered.

He nodded and they stayed there, in each other's arms.

Katherine was content in his arms, comfortable, peaceful and overall she was overjoyed to have him. To just be with him like this, in his arms, was a dream.

She'd never felt so much love for one person in her entire life.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: It's time for Katie to meet Ned's family :) Enjoy! xx Mariah**

* * *

Katie laid on her bed and stared at her closet. She told Ned she'd be ready by five for dinner, but it was four forty-five and she hadn't picked out what to wear yet.

"Honey? Ned's here," Melinda said as she knocked and then saw her daughter. "You're not even dressed baby."  
"I don't know what to wear. I want to impress them, but I don't want to be a grandstand mama." Katie sighed and sat up.

She was dressed in only her undergarments and her hair was pinned up.

Her mother went over to her closet and pulled out a few options.

A green lace dress, a red one and a brown one.

"Try them on, come on sweetie." Melinda said unbuttoning the back of the green one.  
"I don't like that one. It fits weird around my hips." She answered. "And the brown one doesn't fit around my bosom anymore."  
"What about the red one?" Melinda asked and put the other options away.  
"It makes me look like one of the ladies of the night." She sighed. "I need to look like someone who would impress Ned's mother."  
"Stop worrying," Melinda said and smiled at her daughter. "You are every mother's dream of who their son brings home. Trust me."

Her mother went back to the closet and pulled one that still had the price tag on it.

"What about this one?" Melinda held out a black and white polkadotted halter top dress.  
"Isn't it a bit much?" She asked and pressed it against her body.  
"Not if you wear this over it," Melinda brought a light sweater over.  
"It would look really nice," she sighed.  
"Come on, get into it." Melinda laughed and unpinned the dress. "Step in."

Her daughter stepped into the dress and Melinda lulled it up and pinned it back together. She fixed the halter and went t face her.

"Take your brassiere off," Melinda said staring at the straps.  
"Mom, I have never taken it off for a dress before." She gasped.  
"You can't wear one for a dress like this," Melinda explained. "Honey, you'll be fine."  
"But what it they fall out of the dress," she sighed.  
"They won't. It will be tied tight enough that they won't fall out." Melinda said. "Honey, you have the same bosom that I do. I know the tricks."  
"What if Ned's mother thinks I'm some sort of whore," she whispered and let the undergarment come off.  
"She won't," Melinda said and adjusted the top. "Now when you go out there you are going to have ample cleavage and knock the socks off of Ned."  
"I don't need to knock the socks of Ned. Already did that," she laughed.  
"When? Why didn't you tell me?" Melinda gasped and gave her the shall.  
"You were busy gettin' some of your own," she giggled.  
"I was wasn't I?" Melinda whispered. "Oh honey, did it go well? Did it hurt?"  
"No," she answered. "It was wonderful. He took care of me mama, he really did."  
"Oh honey," Melinda said and hugged her daughter. "I'm so glad that he took care of you. Was it when you went on that very long stroll?"  
"It was," she smiled. "He took me swimming and it just sort of happened."  
"Sort of happens are great," Melinda mutters.

She smiled and grabbed her necklace, her mother clipped it into place and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"You look beautiful, now unclip your hair and let me put it up," Melinda instructed.

Katie unclipped her hair and her mother brought it together into a simple pony tail.

"Now let's go out there before your father and Ned both get antsy." Melinda laughed and kissed her daughter's other cheek. "Let's go. Your shoes are out by the door."

* * *

It was half past five when Ned saw her.

His heart jumped and he smiled at her. She looked perfect, absolutely perfect and he couldn't believe she was his.

She had a ponytail, brown, smooth, always existent. This is what made her unique, as if she could tie all her troubles away with that rubber band, tightly holding her curly hair.

Her face was formed oh-so perfectly in the Creators factory. She was unspoiled perfection from the moment he first saw her in fourth grade when my parents uprooted our family from Chicago to down here. She was destined to be someone with her ever changing magic eyes, the eyes that turned golden in the sun, but were brown the other times.

She had a very pretty body shape, it was like an hourglass. She actually was unbelievably gorgeous. He hated that whenever he brought her out, she got compliments from guys wherever we go, of all races, ages and types. He stared at her all the time- she was so pretty it was hard to look away.

The dress was tight around her hips and chest, showing ample cleavage.

"You look stunning, Katherine." Ned smiled and stood up, fixing his collar.

She smiled at him and she stopped before him, sliding on her black shoes that bring her up a few more inches. She was always warm, kind of like an aura that blossomed off of her when she was happy. She held out her hand for mind and he took it. She had the most petite, wonderful hands a woman like her could have.

"For you," he said and gave her a bundle of wildflowers.  
"Thank you," she smiled and took them. "Their beautiful."  
"Much like yourself," he replied. "We better get going. Ma's gonna get worried if we aren't there soon."  
"We better," she took a smell of the flowers before giving them to her mother. "Put them on the dining room table please?"  
"Of course," Melinda said and took them.  
"Have her home before midnight," Jim said resting his hand on Ned's shoulder. "And if you're going to spend the night, use the door this time." Katie smirked as Ned tensed up as Jim walked by. "Have a good time babygirl. I love you."  
"I love you too daddy," she hugged him and he kissed her cheek. "Stop worrying, Ned takes care of me."

Jim looked at Ned and back at his daughter.

He trusted his little girl and smiled at her.

"Fine, just have her home safely." Jim said as Ned wrapped his arm around her waist.  
"Come on," she said and walked with Ned out the door, closing it quietly behind him. "I told you they knew about you coming over."  
"Ugh they probably heard us," he sighed. "They hate me."  
"They don't hate you," she laughed. "They love you and they love me a little too much, so they worry. And if your only daughter had daughter dated William Davis for seven months and then he hurt her, would you worry? Even if the man their daughter started to fall in love with was perfect to her and would never hurt her."

Tears came to her eyes as she hugged him tightly. He pulled back and kissed her forehead and they continued walking.

"When I met you, Katherine, I was contemplating dropping out of school and working full time with my pop. I'm the second child of six and my family is flat broke. And my little brother Tommy, he's seven and wants to play football so bad, but we don't have the money. So I started to work a lot more so I wouldn't have to be home as much and then I could get him one and teach him how to play." He paused and shook his head. "But then I lost it in some stupid bet... But how can you hang on to something so incomprehensible? How can you keep pouring love into someone who isn't of the same class as you? But here you are. There is something in these brown eyes that is so beautiful, so safe and warm. In just one look I'm "home." I reached out and made the connection, and like God Himself had arranged it, you fell for me just as hard." He looked down at her and licked his lips. "That first day we talked, just the two of us, I still recall the conversation, the feeling you gave. You didn't know it, but that day you saved me. I thought I was just going to become another mechanic for this town, but you gave me something to believe in. You told me I could be whatever I wanted to be, even if it meant struggling. You said you'd struggle with me if meant we could be together, even if you've never had to worry about money before."  
"Of course I would," she looked up at him. "Don't settle on your life because it's easy. Take chances and be the best you can be."  
"I will because of you," he whispered as his hand wrapped around his. "You never cease to amaze me Katherine."  
"I love you," she smiled up at him and stopped him at the corner of her street.  
"I love you too," he said softly.

The silence floated around them, everything frozen in mid-air. She looked up, meeting the tender, softness of his green eyes. He looked deep into her eyes, and they stayed like that, looking at each other with mutual intensity, until he cupped her chin in his hands. Their eyes slowly lulled shut and she waited for his lips to descend on her own. When they did, sparks flew, and a warm feeling spread throughout her. Their mouths molded together, a slow tango of lips and tongue.

She couldn't wait to meet his family.

* * *

The old house must have been little more than a glorified shed even in it's hay day. How eight people lived here was a mystery.

"I told you it's not glorious," he sighed.  
"Ned, I'm not going to break up with you because of where you live." She smiled. "I'm not that girl. It's glamorous or big, but it's quaint and I like it."  
"You're just saying that," he muttered. "We better get in there. We're a little late and ma is gonna kill me."  
"I'll just say that I couldn't find the right dress or something." She said and kissed his cheek. "Come on."

The old house seemed to have collapsed inwardly on itself somewhat, like a loaf of bread taken out of the oven too soon. The roof sagged and the cedar shingles stuck up in places like wonky teeth. The were few windows and they seemed not to be quite rectangular anymore. It hung downwards as if the wind had left it and it could no longer bring itself to stand up against the elements.

In the high winds of the season the old house could be heard to creak as if in it's death throes. The grass grew long and unkempt around it and in that grass were tracks made by the children who lived there.

He shoved open the front door and almost tripped before holding out his hand as two kids ran past him.

She laughed and took his hand as he pulled her close to him and kissed her.

"Ned? Is that you?" A voice came from the kitchen.  
"Is that your mom?" She smiled.  
"Yeah," he itched his head. "Yeah. It's me, ma."  
"Well get in here so I can meet the girl that's been keeping you away from home." His mother called.

He pulled her through the small house and in order to stall pressed her up against the wall and kissed her.

"Stop stalling," she said and pushed him off her. "Or I'm not letting you spend the night."  
"Fine," he whined and brought her into the makeshift kitchen. "Ma, this is Katherine. The girl who I've been talking about."  
"You mean the girl you won't shut up about," a man said and pulled him into a headlock. "Hi. I'm his older brother Christopher."  
"Hi," she said and smiled at him.  
"Oh she's beautiful," his mother walked over and hugged her. "I'm Delia Banks, Ned's mother. I've heard so much about you."  
"I've heard so much about you." She smiled. "I'm glad Ned finally gathered up the courage to bring me for dinner."  
"Well you should meet the kids," Delia said and cleared her throat. "Kids! Kitchen now." Three more children came running in and lined up next to Ned and his brother. "Well you've met Christopher, he's twenty one. Obviously you've met Ned. This is Dorothy, she's sixteen. Shirley is eight, Joey is seven, and Nan is sleeping. She's almost two."  
"It's nice to meet you all," she said and smiled as the two younger siblings ran after each other.  
"You're dating a North End girl?" Dorothy laughed. "Not only is she a North End girl, but she used to be William B. Jackasses girlfriend. Nice one."  
"Language Dorothy," Delia muttered.  
"What? He is one," Dorothy answered. "But really Ned? Her of all people?"  
"Don't talk about her like that," he said and elbowed his sister.  
"So you're from North End?" Delia asked. "Ned never told me that. Who are your parents?"  
"Yeah, I'm the only child of James and Melinda Clancy as of now." She answered.  
"Only child?" Delia muttered. "Was there something wrong?"  
"There were complications when I was born, but she's actually pregnant." She explained. "I'm excited, their overjoyed because they've always wanted more children. But is there anything I can do to help with dinner?"  
"Oh don't worry about that," Delia said and went to check the oven. "Just you and Ned go and relax. Dinner should be done shortly."

She smiled and turned to walked toward Ned who brought her toward the rundown couch.

"Ned, I missed you!" Joseph said jumping on his brother's lap and then looked to Katie. "Hi!"  
"Hi bud," she winked at him and tickled his sides playfully.  
"I missed you, Joey." He said and smiled at his brother. "How'd your last day of school go?"  
"Good! I got a good teacher for next year." Joey explained and hopped up and down on his lap.  
"You did?" He gasped and tickled his brother's sides.  
"I did! I got Mrs. Preston." Joey giggled. "Stop it Ned!"  
"Oh the tickle monster's gonna come." He cheered.  
"No!" Joey shrieked and jumped from his brother's arms.  
"I'll be right back, babe." He kissed her cheek and jumped up from the couch to chase after him.

He caught him in seconds and threw him up in the air and tickled him after catching him.

Katie watched him and smiled. He was so great with great kids, even if they are his siblings. He was great. It made her heart grow three sizes watching him with Joey.

He set him down as the door opened and his father stepped inside.

"Ned, you're home." His father cleared his throat and hugged him. "I've missed you at the shop. You comin' in tomorrow?"  
"Uh I think." He answered and sat down next to Katie again.  
"Is this the girl you kicked Davis' ass for?" His father chuckled.  
"Yes dad," he answered. "This is Katherine."  
"Nice to meet you. I'd shake your hand but I'm covered in grease." His father said. "So I'll greet you better once I go shower."  
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Banks." She said and smiled at her.

He made his way toward the rickety stairs and climbed them

Shirley came running in, her blonde pigtails bouncing.

"Ned?" Shirley said quietly, holding something behind her back  
"Shirley?" He cleared his throat as she sat on his lap.  
"Can I try something on you?" Shirley asked.  
"What?" He muttered.  
"My nail polish? Can I try it on you?" Shirley begged.  
"No. That's for girls." He answered. "Go ask Dorothy."  
"Please Ned... please..." Shirley cupped his cheeks. "Please?"  
"No," he said flatly.  
"You let me try lipstick last time?" Shirley explained. "And my eyeshadow!"  
"But now I'm with Katie, so no?" He answered.  
"Don't hold back on my part. Shirley go ahead and try it on him." She said and smiled at his little sister. "And Ned isn't going to whine at all."  
"Katherine," he muttered.  
"You know you'd let her do it if I weren't here." She laughed. "Be nice to your sister, not everyone had them."

He reluctantly gave her his right hand.

"You have dirty fingernails," Shirley muttered as she coated one nail with red polish.  
"You have ratty hair, but I don't say anything about that." He answered.  
"I know I have ratty hair, but I try and fix it." Shirley stuck out her tongue at him and continued to finish his hand. "You don't clean your hands."  
"Shirley want to know a secret?" She whispered.  
"Sure," Shirley took her attention off Ned's hand.  
"Well I make him wash his hands every time I see him." She said and Shirley snickered.  
"Haha," Shirley said and poked Ned's chest. "She tells you what to do."  
"Well I love her, so I listen to her." He said and turned to face Katie.

He brought her lips to his and kissed her deeply and that got Shirley to run away gagging.

"I got her to leave. Score," he whispered and kissed her again.  
"Dinner!" Delia called and they stood up.  
"Come on, let's eat. Ma's a great cook." He said pulling her close. "You can sit by me or I'll fight someone."  
"Oh Nec, knock it off." She laughed and kissed his cheek as they walked over to the table.

They found seats, luckily next to each other after urging of his little sister Shirley with a candy bar later.

She squeezed his hand after Joey said grace, which was absolutely adorable, and kissed his cheek.

"I love you and your family. Why'd you worry I wouldn't?" She asked.  
"Because my house compared to yours... and you have money and we don't." He whispered and everyone dug in.  
"Money isn't everything to me, Ned." She said and took a bite of the chicken and potatoes. "I'll always love you with or without money."

He nodded and took a bite himself before meeting her with a kiss.

"No kissin' at the table," Joey gagged.  
"I second that," Dorothy muttered.  
"Yeah, no kissin' guys." Delia said. "Even if you two are adorable."

They agreed and smiled at each other. Ned winked at her and then looked back to his plate.

She couldn't wait to be with him, for good, for life.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: This came along so nicely :) Enjoy! xx Mariah**

* * *

Nothing put the pep in Ned step like the news he got that morning. Rumor has it that Sheriff Davis busted his son and Martha De Contes up at The Point the night before, and all the housewives who gossiped with his mother during the shop's morning rush were quick with details. He had tried not to listen in as he fixed some fancy convertible, but when he heard Mrs. De Contes telling his mother that the bastard was caught with his head between her daughter's legs, he couldn't help but grin.

Maybe now everyone else would realize that William Davis wasn't a good guy after all.

Whistling happily, Ned jangled the keys to his motorcycle as he made his way to the Clancy's front porch. For the first time since he and Katherine started dating a month ago, Ned was happy to greet her folks. Surely they would soon realize that he was a good kid, and not at all the type to get busted in flagrante with the mayor's daughter. Yes, they would have to finally recognize how much he cared about Katherine, and perhaps even acknowledge how exemplary his behavior has been with her.

There was nothing Ned hated more than being disliked, especially when the detractors were his girl's parents.

Well, maybe he hadn't been _perfect_ with her. They shared more than a few fervent intimate moments since the lake, most of them being earth shattering.

And maybe the night prior, probably right around the time ol' Davis was shining his flashlight in the windows of his son's beaten Dodge, Ned got to second base before he sadly had to bring her home. But heck, he hadn't initiated _that_. He was content to simply kiss her forever, with her soft lips moving gently against his own. She must have had other plans, though, because it wasn't long before she slowly moved their entwined hands up between their bodies. Sensing his hesitancy, she grabbed his hand in her own and slid it beneath his jacket, which he had slipped around her shoulders after he felt her shiver in the cool summer air from leaving her sweater at his house.

He had broke the kiss, pulling back to stare at her with wide, unsure eyes. She seemed so determined though, and she didn't look away from him as she brought his palm up to her breast. He reveled in the feel of her firm flesh as his mouth dropped open in shock; he'd never stop loving how delicious her breasts felt. When she tilted her head back and sighed in contentment, he was gone. He massaged her with an untamed eagerness, and he felt himself growing rock hard in his jeans.

As he had cursed the thin dress from keeping her bare skin from his touch, the intimidating image of her father infiltrated his mind. Suddenly he realized that the very hand now cupping her breast was the one the man nearly broke earlier. Mr. Clancy's grip was both a challenge and a warning, and what probably appeared to others as a friendly shake always left Ned slightly sore. He knew her parents were still warming up to him, but who wouldn't be when the previous person who she dated was William Davis.

He had yanked back, startling her in the process.

"Sorry!" he had said. "But, uh, it's getting late. I should get you home before your folks flip their wig."

She looked disappointed, but didn't argue. At her doorstep, he kissed her chastely on the lips, sure either her mother or father were peering in from behind the curtains. The thought was chilling, but he also didn't want her to think for a second that he wasn't amazed by her or what she allowed him to do earlier.

"I'm going to be thinking about you all night," he had whispered in her ear.

She bit her lip, then smiled up at him.

"Well, sweet dreams, Ned." She had whispered and kissed him briefly once more.

* * *

After she entered her house, he exhaled slowly, but gosh, he couldn't help but smile, too.

Now he was sporting a similar grin as he rang the doorbell. Perhaps Mr. Clancy would greet him with a hug this time.

_"Ned!" he'd exclaim, gently clapping him on the back. "I sure am glad my little girl's with you and not that damn bastard!"_

His face fell as soon as her father opened the door. If Ned thought his stare was deadly before…

"Ned," Mr. Clancy nodded. "It's nice to see you."  
"Mr. Clancy. Sir," he replied, ducking his head.

Her father stepped aside to allow the boy to pass, and Ned swallowed thickly as he entered the home. Melinda's mother was sitting on the couch, reading, and she met him with a bright smile much like her daughter always did.

"Ned!" Her mother said and smiled at him. "You're early."  
"So what are your plans for this evening?" Her father asked as he settled in his chair, the remote in hand.  
"I thought we could go to the diner for a bite to eat, sir." He answered. "We're meeting Hannah and Brandon there."

He nodded his approval and pulled his glasses from his face, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"Well, that sounds nice." Her father smiled at him. "Have her home by-"  
"By at least nine. We all have church in the morning," her mother interjected and stood up from the couch to go sit on husband's lap. "Right sweetheart?"  
"Right," her father said and put the glasses back on.

His mouth opened in reply, but Katherine was slipping her shoes on and grabbing Ned's arm so suddenly that they were all taken by surprise.

"Goodnight, everyone!" Katherine called out, pulling him out of the house. "He will have me home by nine, daddy," she added before shutting the door.  
"I missed you," she smiled, kissing him once they were on the curb by his motorcycle.

They were exchanging shy smiles with each other by the time he gave her the new helmet he bought her.

"I just wish your parents liked me," he admitted once he helped clip hers  
"They do," He must have visibly doubted her words, because then she took his hand in hers and kissed it. "I love you," she purred.

He straddled and helped her on, his arms wrapping around his chest as she pressed a kiss to his shoulder. He was blissfully happy that the girl he was crazy about since fourth grade was finally his.

"Diner?" he asked offhandedly, starting up his motorcycle.  
"No. Keep driving." She answered. "Hannah will forgive me, eventually."

He tried again.

"Movie?" They had seen _Dumbo_ the night before, but there wasn't a whole lot else to do in their tiny town.

She shook her head, then directed him where to turn.

"I thought about you all of last night, too," she admitted quietly. "And all day."

He licked his lips, wondering where in the world she was leading him, but far too excited to ever question it. When they were parked in the meadow, he took a deep breath before turning to her. He wanted nothing more than a repeat of the previous night, but with the sheriff on the prowl, they just couldn't risk it. Ned wouldn't know what to do if they were forbidden from seeing each other.

Katherine was his girl, the only person he ever wanted. He didn't want to jeopardize that.

He looked back at her, wondering the best way to verbalize it. She looked so pretty in her short-sleeved navy blue dress, and he cursed himself for not telling her that sooner. His girl sure was a looker, and while he naturally noticed all the other girls, too, none of them ever left a lasting impression the way she did.

He was lucky.

He loved so many things about her. She was usually pretty tough, nearly as intimidating as her father, yet she could be sweet as pie. She was sweet with him, too, and it always made his heart race. There was something else he absolutely adored, though he couldn't quite pinpoint it.

She was absolutely perfect for him.

"I heard Davis is patrolling the east and south side," she said, breaking him out of his thoughts. "He won't bother coming around here."

At that, she hopped from her seat and unclipped her helmet.

"Come on," she giggled, holding out her hand.

He gladly took her hand in his after taking his own helmet off and followed him. She brought him behind the willow tree and sat him down, throwing her leg out so she could straddle his lap. He froze, as she trailed kisses down his jaw. She sighed against his skin.

"Ned, please touch me like you did before." She purred.

Willpower? He had none of it.

Hours melted together as they kissed and caressed. He palmed her breasts enthusiastically, closely watching his hands as they cupped her. She had three buttons at her high neckline, and he dared to undo them, wanting so desperately to feel her skin. She encouraged him with soft mewling sounds that drove him crazy, and he slipped his hand under the material to touch the silk of her bra. Nodding her approval, she again took his hand in her own and pushed it past the last barrier.

His eyes fell shut as he finally felt the top of her bare breast. Finally his fingers snaked lower, tentatively touching her hardened nipple, and she gasped, bucking her hips against him.

They both moaned at the sensation, so she repeated it, again and again. Her skirt was bunched around them, and the knowledge that it was just her thin panties grinding against his crotch and he was aching. Nothing had ever made him so hard, and when her hooded eyes met his, he knew she felt it, too.

She didn't stop, though. No, she kept swiveling her hips, brushing against him with every downward motion as they stared at each other, mouths open and skin flushed. Her little sighs of pleasure were maddening, and his hands fell from her breasts to her tiny waist, anchoring her against him. She rocked back and forth against his length, slow at first, but then much faster. Soon her fingers were digging into his shoulders as strangled cries escaped his throat.

"Ned!" she called out, her eyes screwed tightly shut.

She cried out his name again, pressing down on him and throwing her head back.

Ned could barely see straight as her chest heaved in front of him. When she finally caught her breath, she leaned forward to rest her head on his shoulder.

"Wow," she managed. "Let me get you off."  
"I'm fine," he whispered and looked to his watch. "It's almost nine."  
"Oh," she sighed. "We could be a little late."  
"No," he stuttered. "I can't irritate your father more."  
"You won't! God, Ned don't you want me?" She said and pulled his chin to look at her. "We haven't been together in almost a week."  
"Tomorrow, we will again," he whispered. "Just not out here with Davis on the lookout."  
"Alright," she muttered and stood up, collecting herself.  
"Katherine, I want you." He laughed against her neck. "Just I want to be safe in one of our beds where I can take my time and make love to you."

As he drove back to her house, he couldn't think about anything but how badly he needed to go home and touch himself. His erection felt like a hot steel rod in his pants, and it nearly physically hurt. He had to conjure up several grisly images just to deflate enough to get her to her door.

"Thank you for tonight," she said, kissing his cheek. "I mean it."  
"Of course," he smiled and brought her lips his, leaning her against the door. "I love you, Katherine."  
"I love you as well, Ned." She reminded him.

She turned her head as she opened the door, and the seductive look she gave him made him instantly hard again. He shuffled back to the motorcycle, panting heavily in anticipation.

He _needed_ to get home, fast.

* * *

The next morning in church, she and the Banks clan sat two pews in front of the Clancy's.

Ned was still in a complete daze, and his mother had to remind him several times to sit up straight or pay attention.

He couldn't possibly, though; all he could think about right now was what Katherine said to him before the service began. She had been at the bulletin board in the back, and as the Banks' and Clancy's greeted each other (her parents seemed much more cordial with his, he always noted), Ned slipped away to see her.

"My parents are going out of town this afternoon," she said simply, her eyes still forward, reading the announcements.

He turned his head away from her, licking his lips as he, too, pretended to read about the upcoming rummage sale.

"Oh yeah?" He returned casually.  
"They're visiting my grandmother in Raleigh." She answered.  
"And you're not?" He asked.

He couldn't get hard in church. He just couldn't.

Stop thinking about it Ned. Stop it.

"No," she said, finally facing him. "I'm not feeling well. Maybe you should come over and take care of me."

She walked away, leaving him as dumfounded as turned on, and dammit if that wasn't all he could think about.

He stared stupidly at her as they all stood to sing hymns, and he tried to mouth along with the words but failed spectacularly. Her long dark hair was actually freed from its usual Sunday braid, and it fell in waves down her back. It was nearly desperate, the need he had to tangle his fingers in the thick tresses.

She wore a long-sleeved, high-collared, button-up shirt, and a thin, pale green skirt that caught his eye immediately. It was a perfectly nice outfit to wear to church, but he was practically leering from his seat. He kept imagining the way her full breasts strained against the white silk shirt, or how the skirt clung to her hips just like he had the night before. With all those images floating through his head, it was impossible to think of anything else.

His mother elbowed him again, and he sat up straight in his seat, nodding briskly as if in agreement with whatever their pastor was saying. Again, he tried to pay attention. The sermon was, fittingly, about temptation and its downfall. He tugged at his necktie before his mind wandered off.

* * *

His parents were going into town for brunch following the service, and even though he was starving, he declined to join them, making up plans with Peter to excuse his absence.

So he walked home as they drove off, and as soon as he was inside the house, he threw off his suit jacket and tie, and raced into the kitchen. He rolled up his shirtsleeves before he sifted through the bakery goods his mother got this morning, pilfering the cheese buns Katherine loved so much. They could serve as a token of affection if she was truly alone, or as a ready excuse if she wasn't.

He practically jogged to her home. The family car wasn't in the drive, a good sign, he noted. As he rang the doorbell, he glanced around nervously, his paranoia peaking.

She didn't even return his hello when she opened the door. She took the bakery box he held out to her and smiled at him.

"My favorite, you remembered." She said and placed the box on the kitchen table.  
"Of course," he said kicking his shoes off.

She grabbed his free and pulled him led him to her room, his heart was beating so hard against his chest, he was sure she could hear it.

Once the door to her bedroom was shut behind them she kissed him.

"Hi," she whispered.  
"Hi," he replied with a broad grin.

She seemed a little shier now that he was actually there, so he used her silence as an opportunity to look around her room. He never thought he'd never actually gotten the chance to see it. Every time he was in here, it was the last thing on his mind.

"I like your-" His words were cut off by her mouth pressing firmly against his, and he relaxed immediately, walking her backwards toward her bed.

She sat when the back of her knees hit her mattress, and she tried to pull Ned down next to her, but he didn't trust himself enough to allow it. Instead, he kneeled before her, positioning himself between her splayed legs. He already knew she wanted to feel the way she did the night before, but now with a little more freedom, he was hoping he could touch her there. He studied her carefully, watching for the signs that she was comfortable and wanted him to continue. When she scooted closer to the edge of the bed and opened her legs a little further, he mustered the courage to graze her bare knee with his hand.

 _Her_ _bare_ _knee_.

It suddenly dawned on him that she had already removed her stockings, and he sighed in pleasure as the pads of his fingers found her soft skin. Ned looked down at the hem of her skirt, his eyes fixating on the promise of what was hidden underneath.

His hand trailed upward from the top of her thigh, but he hesitated when his fingers brushed against her clothing. Slowly, his eyes met hers as she covered his hand with her own and urged him forward.

"Yes," she panted, her eyes falling shut.

He could feel the heat radiating from between her legs, but it was only when his fingertips found the soft hairs at the apex of her thighs did he realize that she was truly bare before him.

"I already took them off," she confessed quietly, her breath hitching as he inched closer.

He nearly growled at her admission, his cock already straining against his dress pants.

Jesus, she was so wet.

He pressed against her with his thumb as his finger slipped inside of her.

"Ned, yeah, like that. Oh god, _yes_!" Again, she grabbed onto his shoulders just as she did last night, and she rode his hand until she was screaming out.

He finally pulled his hand away when she fell back against the mattress, panting. When he looked down at his fingers, slick with her, he brought them to his mouth to lick them clean. She blinked, then reached out for his belt buckle.

The truth was, he nearly came at the sight and then taste of her, but he was still hard and throbbing. They worked together to unbutton his white dress shirt before pulling it off. As he was removing the undershirt, she slipped her hand into his slacks and gripped him, and he grabbed at her bedspread, bunching it in his fist just as she had done when he touched her.

It only took a few strokes before he was whispering her name and coming all over her hand and his stomach. Just as he had done with her, Katherine sucked her fingers into her mouth, and he watched her in awe.

"I want you," she purred and pulled him onto the bed.  
"Katherine, I want you more than anything," he groaned and shed her of all clothes.

He brought himself to her entrance and they slipped into ecstasy.

God, he'd never get tired of how good he felt whenever he was with her.

* * *

They helped each other clean up, and then she led him to her bed, pulling him down with her. She said she wanted him to hold her, and they both snuggled contently as she rested her head against his bare chest, her fingers tracing patterns on his hard stomach. Finally, and reluctantly, he sat up, kissing her soundly on the lips. He put back on his shirt, watching her hungrily as she changed into a cotton dress.

He was on her porch when he heard the roar of her father's car engine as it turned down the street. He was stuck, rooted right at her doorstep, caught and terrified. Thinking as quickly as possible, he raced in the house and grabbed the package of cheese buns before returning outside and smiled brightly as they pulled into the drive.

"Ned!" Her mother called as she slid out of the car. "How nice it is to see you again!"  
"Hello, Ned," her father said, eyeing him suspiciously.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Clancy were sizing him up, so he held out the box.

"Good afternoon. Katherine told me at church that she wasn't feeling so well, so I was going to leave these here for her for when she's better." Her mother took the package from him, opening it to sneak a peek inside. "Cheese buns, ma'am," he informed her. "They're her favorite."

Her face softened at his admission.

"Well, Ned, that is mighty nice of you." She slipped inside, leaving him alone with her father, and he swallowed against the lump slowly forming in his throat. "She'll love it."

He continued to study him, and Ned smiled tightly, unsure of what to do or where to go. Finally the man sighed, then flashed him a grin, maybe he was finally coming around to Ned Banks. Or maybe he could smell his daughter on him from where he stood and he was thinking about where to bury the body.

"Ah, I think I'm too hard on you, Ned," her father laughed, clapping the young man's back. "Someday, though, you'll have a little girl and you'll understand."

The mere thought of having a child, his mind was brought to Katherine carrying his child and how beautiful she'd look. He blushed and stood up straight, and the man just laughed again, leading him inside.

"Come on, stay for dinner. Katie will be glad to see you," her father said softly. "Ring for your parents and let them know you'll be here for dinner."  
"I will. Thank you sir," he said.  
"Ned, you can call me Jim." Her father smiled. "I believe you're in this for the long haul with my little girl, or at least that's what my wife has been telling me."

He nodded and slipped off his shoes as quickly as he had when he first got here.

Maybe they were warming up to him afterall.


	9. Chapter 9

Ned saw Katherine at the bulletin board in the back of the church after the sermon. She wore a short-sleeved baby blue cotton dress with her hair in a tight pony tail, his favorite.

He tucked his arm around her waist as he stood beside her.

"Hi stranger," she smiled up at him. "Sleep well?"  
"I did, thanks to you." He whispered in her ear. "This morning was a little less exciting."  
"Why? What happened?" She turned to face him, she realized she'd spoken a little too loudly when many people turned to look at her. "Sorry. What happened?"  
"My older brother, Christopher was drafted. It came with the mail today, he ships out tomorrow with fifty other twenty one to nineteen year olds."  
"Ned... I'm so sorry." Her heart broke for him. "What does that mean for you?"  
"I don't know. I'll be drafted next, and I don't want to leave without knowing-" He lost all words and stared at the board about a picnic in the park next week.  
"Without knowing what?" She asked.  
"Without knowing you're mine unconditionally Katherine." He muttered.  
"Ned, I am yours unconditionally." She whispered. "I love you more than you."  
"But not in the eyes of any other person in this damn town," he said and grabbed her hand and moved their conversation to somewhere more private. "I love you Katherine Clancy."  
"I love you too," she said simply. "What are you asking me?"

He reached into his slacks and pulled out a small box. He opened the green box to reveal a simple three stone ring in a gold band.

"Marry me?" He smiled. "It's not even a full carat or anything some guy out in North End could buy you, but it's everything I have. I love you more than anything and I will never love you less than I do today, only more."  
"How did you get this?" She gasped and covered her mouth.  
"I sold my bike," he answered cheekily.  
"You sold your bike, for me?" She looked up at him. "Why?"  
"I'd do anything for you." He muttered. "And I want you to be mine, forever."  
"I'll marry you." She said simply and wiped away a falling tear.

Ned put his arms around her waist and pulled her back to his chiseled chest. He swept her hair to the side and kissed her neck.

"I love you," he whispered and slid the ring onto her finger.

She looked up at him and caught his lip with hers. The kiss was a little hesitant at first, but eventually it was built into a tempo controlled enough for two teenagers who were in love.

"I love you too," she smiled at him. "Take me home?"  
"We'll have to walk," he said.  
"I don't care," she laughed. "I want to walk with you. I love you."  
"I love you," he kissed her and they walked through the church hand and hand. "We're so scandalous."

She laughed and then they stopped in front of her parents.

"He's gonna walk me home," she said softly.  
"Alright baby girl. We'll meet you at home," her father said and kissed her forehead.

She watched as her dad moved his hand down to her stomach and she smiled.

That's what she wanted with Ned.

* * *

They took their time on their walk to her house.

Talking about little things, like what dress she'd wear or where they'd live once they were done with school.

"How about there?" He pointed to a simple little green house with a for sale sign.  
"That would be perfect!" She cheered. "I could garden and there could by two bedrooms, maybe three."  
"Let's go look inside."  
"Ned!"  
"There is an open house, look." He pointed to the sign and brought her to the steps. "I could kiss you here every morning before work," and he did just that, planting one on her. "And we could put chairs here on the porch and have coffee in the morning. You could read a book and I could read the paper."  
"Like my parents," she smiled and he opened the front door.

The real estate agent was standing by a small table with papers on it.

"Welcome!" The older woman said.  
"Hi," Ned said and he took a paper for him and Katie.  
"You two must be newlyweds." The woman said.  
"Actually we're newly engaged," she said and flashed her ring subtly.  
"Well congratulations! This is a two bedroom, one bathroom, with an dettached garage." The woman explains. "You may go take a look and let me know what you like about it."

They nodded and walked through the living room to the hallway and then through to the dining room and kitchen.

"It's quaint," she said looking at the price, $1400. "It's a fortune. We'd never be able to afford it."  
"You never know," he said softly and brought her into one of the two bedrooms. "We could make love in here every night."  
"Oh could we?" She smiled and then kissed his neck.  
"We could, we could make a baby in here." He said and touched her stomach ever so softly.

She smiled and met his hand with her own.

"We should get married before you get drafted." She said flatly. "We need to tell our parents."  
"You sure?" He asked.  
"I can't let you go without being your wife first." She smiled up at him and kissed him deeply.  
"Then let's go talk to your parents," he said and grabbed her hand leading her out to where the agent was waiting. "We'll contact you."

He pulled her out the front door and kissed her again.

"Let's go talk to my parents," she whispered and kissed him.

He reached underneath her and picked her up, carrying her the rest of the way.

* * *

When they reached the porch, the family car was in the driveway.

"Stop worrying," she said and turned the doorknob, pulling him inside as kicking her shoes off.  
"Your father worries me," he whispered and did the same.  
"Katie?" Her mother called out. "Is that you, baby girl?" Her mother stepped out from the kitchen and saw them both. "Oh hello Ned. Are you staying for dinner?"  
"If that's alright with you and Jim," he smiled.  
"Of course it is. We love the company." Her mother said. "Why don't you go sit with Jim. Katie, come and help me with something?"  
"Yes ma'am." Katie kissed him briefly and ducked into the kitchen behind her mother.  
"What took you so long?" Her mother asked as Katie quickly washed her hands. "The walk isn't that long."  
"We got sidetracked," she laughed.  
"Ooh la la," her mother giggled and smirked at her daughter.  
"Not like that at all," she smiled. "At least not this time."

Her mother laughed and then noticed the ring.

"Katherine Ann, what is on your finger?" Her mother asked and reached out for her hand.  
"Oh this pretty thing? Ned may have popped the question," she smiled.  
"You're saying this so calmly! Why so soon?" Her mother gasped.  
"His brother was drafted, and he's gonna get drafted next and I love him mama. I really do," she looked at the ring and then back at her. "We wanna get married before he gets his draft card."  
"I know you do sweetheart, but you both are only seventeen!" Her mother quickly sat down. "The heart and mind changes my love. What if you don't love him anymore in five years or even one year?"  
"I know we're only seventeen. I know it's foolish to think you'd ever let me marry him, but I love him." She paused and smiled. "But I will never stop loving him until the day I die. I can promise you that."  
"Are you pregnant?" Her mother asked.  
"No mama, I'm not." She looked down at her ring. "He sold his motorcycle to get this. He loved his motorcycle more than anything because he put so much work into it, and he sold it so he could buy this ring. Doesn't that stand for something?"

Her mother sighed and looked at her daughter.

The love she had for this boy was more than anything she could've imagined.

"Your father is going to flip his wig," her mother sighed. "Come on. Dinner is almost done, let's go talk to your father."

Both women walked into the living room to see Ned and Jim watching a baseball game.

"Is dinner done?" her father asked.  
"Almost," her mother said sitting down on his lap. "Katie and Ned have some news."  
"You told her?" He asked.  
"She noticed it before I said anything," she answered and sat down next to Ned, holding his hand in hers.  
"What's going on here? I swear if you knocked my little girl up I am going to bust your-" Her father raised his voice ever so slightly.  
"James," her mother warned. "Let them talk."  
"We want to get married daddy," she said showing the ring off. "Ned asked me to marry him today."  
"Well you can once you're an adult." Her father answered. "End of story. Now can I watch the game?"  
"Daddy we want to get married before he gets drafted. His brother already was and is being sent out tomorrow." She explained. "I love him daddy, more than anything else in the world. I wouldn't be able to let him go over there to fight without being his completely. Please daddy."  
"Would you continue to live here? Or would you two live together?"  
"Well we looked at some houses on our walk home, that's why we were so late." She sighed. "We don't have the money to own our own home yet, and since he would be drafted soon after I thought we could both just live here until he came back."  
"I'll need to speak with your mother about this," her father said calmly. "I'm trying to keep a level head, but I don't know why you'd want to do this. You're both only seventeen."  
"Jim, may I say something?" He asked and Katie looked at him. she hadn't expected him to say anything until he was spoken to.

He was just like that.

"Of course, Ned." Her father said.  
"I have loved her for as long as I can remember. The day I met her was in spring of fourth grade and she had her hair in braids and she was the only one who would even talk to me, no one even likes the new kid." He explained. "She probably doesn't even remember that day, but I do. She was the first to ever be nice to me. The first person to look past my old worn clothes and greasy hair and talk to me. I don't think we ever talked after that day until we met again when she had a flat tire, but she always smiled at me in the halls. I had never seen her sad until that night at the drive-in. I knew I couldn't leave her there, and then when she held me on the ride home something just sparked and we ended up kissing. And everything from then on has just been so beautiful and I never thought I get to love her as much as I do. And I love her so much, it would mean everything if you let me have her hand in marriage."

Jim looked at his wife and she caressed his cheek.

"I know what it feels like to love someone you never thought you'd never get the chance to." Her father explained. "It's even worse when the parents of the girl aren't open to the thought of it. Even though, you are both so young, I'd rather grant your wish than forbid you two and then you go do it anyways." Her father paused and smiled. "You can get married as long as you are married with us present."  
"Oh daddy!" She ran and hugged him. "Thank you both so much."  
"Just remember your promise, you said you'd continue to live here." He reminded her.  
"I love you," she said and kissed his cheek and then hugged her mother. "Would come with us to tell his parents?"  
"Of course," her father said.

One down, one to go.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Wedding Preparations are in full swing! With it being that the 1940's sizes were much different nowadays, I am just going to be sticking to more modern measurements :)**

**Big thanks to Meowser Hotchner (who is probably my only dedicated reader that I know for sure of) and all over herEnjoy xx Mariah**

* * *

Katherine had somehow talked her mother into taking her dress shopping. It probably had something to do with her big eyes, or the fact that Melinda can hardly ever say no to her daughter, but the smile on her daughter's every time the her upcoming wedding to Ned Banks made it all worth it.

Her little girl was in love and who was she to deny her a brand new dress.

After parking the family car outside the town's dress shop Melinda and her daughter walked inside, the air-conditioning that cooled them both off immediately. The locally owned shop gleamed inside and out, an open, bright space filled with dresses and fabrics of all the colors in the spectrum. Although it was a small shop, it made the most of the space it had, with dresses packing the shop but not overflowing it or to the point where it would feel tight or cramped.

The sunlight shone bright through the windows giving the space a lovely natural light.

"May I?" Katherine spoke up and ran her fingers over a rack of blue dresses.  
"Of course. I'm going to talk to the seamstress about where we should find your size," Melinda told her daughter and smiled at her.

Katie disappeared rather quickly as Melinda made her way to the counter.

"How can I help you?" A woman with measuring tape asked. "Is there something you are looking for specific?"  
"A wedding dress for my daughter," Melinda explained. "Price isn't much of a worry, but the measurements obviously are."  
"Of course," the seamstress shared a laugh. "Do you need me to take them?"  
"I took her measurements before we left home," she said and pulled out a small piece of paper.  
"And they are?" The seamstress asked grabbing her clipboard with inventory.  
"Her bust is thirty nine inches, her waist is twenty three and half inches give or take that half an inch, and her hips around thirty eight inches." She explained. "If you'd like this you can have it."  
"Are you sure you measured correctly? A waist that small with such large hips and a bust is not commonly heard of," the seamstress asked and took the piece of paper as she rounded the counter. "I'd like to remeasure just to see for myself."  
"I'm positive," she laughed. "I used to be her size before I had her. I gained a few inches afterward as most women do. She ran off this way."  
"Well just to be sure I'll remeasure her," the seamstress said as they looked through the rows of dresses. "How old is she, if you don't mind me asking."  
"Seventeen," she answered. "She and her fiance are worried about him being drafted to war before they have the chance of being married, so the process is on a high pace."  
"I'll try to make sure you leave here happy and with a beautiful wedding dress, ma'am." The seamstress said with a smile. "I think I see her."  
"Oh mama, I think I've found the one mama." Katherine came running up to her with one dress on her arm. "I just hope it fits."  
"The first dress is hardly ever the one the bride chooses," the seamstress said. "Let's go get you remeasured and see if this dress is even an option."

Katherine nodded and the woman escorted her and her mother to a fitting room. Melinda settled on the large vintage blue couch and waited.

The seamstress helped her out of her yellow suit. The yellow jacket was easily removed, and the matching skirt slid off next because the green decorative top was tucked in. The seamstress quickly wrapped the measuring tape around her bust.

"Thirty nine inches," the seamstress muttered and went to her waist. "Twenty three and a half," and moved to her hips. "Thirty eight. Wow. You have a lovely figure."  
"Thank you," she blushed. "Do you think I could try on the dress?"  
"Oh, right." The seamstress reached for the dress that was now hanging up and read the measurement tag. "It'll fit a little tight around your hips, but I can let it out a bit if we need too. You'll need to remove your brassiere to put this on so the fabric doesn't rip. and because the shoulders are lace."  
"Alright," she muttered, her cheeks blushed and she reached around her back to unclasp the contraption, mentally reminding herself to never let Ned leave a love bite on her chest again.  
"No need to be nervous. I've fitted half of this town for dresses, seen many figures in this very fitting room." The seamstress chuckled as the undergarment was shed. "Now step in here."

Katherine did as she was instructed and felt the fabric slide up her stomach and over her chest. She slipped her arms into the sleeves carefully not to rip the fabric.

"Oh it fits you like a glove." The seamstress asked smoothing out the dress. "Any uncomfortable places?"  
"No," she said looking at herself in the mirror. "It's very beautiful. How much?"  
"Sixty five dollars," the seamstress said and slowly buttoned the back up. "It's your skin tone very well, my dear. And your hair looks beautiful with it too, have you decided if you're leaving it up or down yet?"  
"I was thinking up with a braid," she said bundling her hair up on her hair.  
"That would suit you very well, should we show your mother?" The seamstress asked reaching for the door.  
"Yes," she said and let her hair fall down.  
"After you," the seamstress says opening the door slightly.

She pushed the door open and stepped out.

"So?" She asked and smiled at her mother softly. "What do you think?"

The dress was perfect, it sat on her body as if it had been made for her. Its lace fabric hugged her figure following her curves and the white was gorgeous against her olive skin. The open neck was waved with lace and covered her ample cleavage, a light pink bow was tied around and sat on her waist, and it's tight skirt flowed out over her black pumps. Her ash brown hair hung perfectly over her shoulders and down past her chest in its natural curls.

She looked stunning.

"You were so right about finding the right dress," Melinda stood and touched her daughter lightly. "You look perfect."  
"It's very expensive mama," she said softly and wiped her mother's falling tear.  
"The price isn't a worry, your father and I want you to have the best." Melinda smiled.  
"Alright," she sighed and smiled. "Let's get me out of this then and get home before daddy and Ned get too restless."

She disappeared and came out in her yellow suit a minute later, the seamstress coming out with her dress.

"I'll have this wrapped up for you in a jiffy. Meet you at the counter," the seamstress smiled.  
"Ned's going to love your dress," Melinda added and locked her arm with her daughter.  
"He loves anything that hugs my figure," she snickered.  
"Very true. Remind me to make sure to cover up those marks," her mother reminded her. "I'm glad to see you so happy, sweet pea."  
"I'm going to marry the man of my dreams. Of course I'm happy," she said as she leaned on the counter.

The doorbell dinged to reveal Edna and Betty Davis snickering as they saw the pair at the counter.

"Why on earth are you two here? Not like you have any Fourth of July bash to go to," Betty said sharply.

Katherine knew better than to converse with one of the Davis'. It would only be another gossip story for everyone to spread around until it as no where near the truth.

"Your total is sixty five dollars," the seamstress brought the dress out in a clear bag.  
"Is that a wedding dress?" Betty questioned.  
"Betty," Edna warned. "No need to start something. She already knows you're better than her."

Melinda quickly wrote a check and gave it to her.

"Thank you for everything," Melinda said with a smile.  
"Of course. Have a a wonderful day," the seamstress smiled and slid the check under the till.  
"Who'd marry you after you wrongly-accused my brother?" Betty stood in front of Katherine, who calmly looked at her. "Come on, we both know you want to say something to me."  
"My business in none of your damn business. Go stick your nose up someone else's ass," she said and pushed past her.

Melinda bit in her laughter and both women turned their rage to her.

"Are you just going to let your daughter spiral out of control?" Edna gasped. "I'm so sorry that she's not marrying my William. She's marrying that poor mechanic isn't she?"  
"I think you and your daughter should follow what my daughter said and mind your own business," Melinda said softly. "Have a nice day, you two." Melinda followed her daughter out and met her with a smile and they both laughed. "You really shouldn't talk like that to them, even if they deserve it."  
"I'm sorry," she laughed. "I'm so sick of Betty Davis stickin' her nose where it doesn't belong."  
"I know, sweet pea." Melinda said as she laid the dress out in the back seat. "Let's go get some milkshakes before we go home."  
"Ooh milkshakes!" She exclaimed. "I want a strawberry one."  
"Me too," Melinda said winking as her hand graced over her small bump. "Your little brother or sister insists on it."

Katie laughed as they pulled out of their space and sped off toward the milkshake place across town.

* * *

Meanwhile, Ned and Jim were back at home on the couch watching a game show.

"What's on your mind, son?" Jim asked as he took a swig of a beer. "You've been staring at that envelop since before my wife and Katherine left."  
"Would it be possible for me to live here before the wedding?" Ned asked.  
"You were drafted," Jim sighed. "I'm sorry son."  
"I have two weeks left with her," he muttered and fiddled with the envelope. "Then they send us off for training for two weeks before shipping all us eighteen and seventeen year olds out to Germany."  
"I wish there was something I could do for you. All I have is some advice," Jim answered and Ned simply nodded and settled back into the couch. "Keep a leveled head. Don't do anything stupid to get yourself killed because Katherine, she'll never recover if she loses you like that. Don't try to be no hero, heroes get themselves killed."  
"Yes sir," he answered.  
"At least you've got the sir part down," Jim patted his back. "I think you'll be fine if you follow what I said. Just do as your told by your Lieutenant." Jim paused and stood up. "Let's go get your stuff. You deserve to spend every waking moment with her. I'll make sure you're married before you leave, just in case..."  
"Yeah," he sighed. "Not many return from being drafted over there unharmed."

Jim grabbed his car keys and they left quickly, before Melinda and Katherine had even returned.

"What do you want to bring?" Jim asked as he backed out of the driveway.  
"Just my clothing and a few other things." He explained.  
"Alright. Oh and Melinda and I decided what your wedding gift would be," Jim said softly.  
"You have given us too much, Jim." He said softly.  
"We just want you to be happy, and you won't really get it until you get back." Jim answered. "But Melinda and I have decided that we'd help you purchase a house of your own. No need to pay us back or anything, just live your life together when you get home."  
"What if I don't come back?" He sighed. "Please still let her get that gift. It'll help her."  
"I have a strong feeling you will return home safely," Jim said and parked in front of Ned's home. "Do you need any help?"  
"No," he said. "I don't have much. I'll be out quickly."

The older man settled into his seat and turned the dial on the radio, closing his eyes as the music of Tommy Dorsey flooded his ears.

He'd make sure his little girl was happy before Ned left if it was the last thing he did.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: For Meowser Hotchner who helps me with too much no matter what, including part of Jimel scene :D Love you! xx Mariah**

* * *

They had to travel all they way to Raleigh so they could be married, their pastor at home was not comfortable marrying them in such short notice and because they were so young. He'd actually tried to talk her parents into forbidding Katherine from seeing Ned before he left because if she still loved him when he came back then he'd marry them, if he came back.

"I'm going to sweat through my dress," she muttered, not looking in the mirror yet.

Her mother looked up from her book and smiled.

"Sweetheart, will you calm down? You look beautiful and Ned is going to love how beautiful you look- more than he does already."  
"What if he gets cold feet?" She asked, letting her thoughts slip out. "What if I'm widow before we even get to be married?"

It was a rushed process when they got engaged, and when asked she didn't have to think before the word _yes_ slipped past her lips.

And she'd never regret it at all.

But what if Ned does five years down the line? What if he realizes that he was not ready to spend the rest of his life with her? What if he realized that some other girl was the one that got away and he regrets marrying her on such a quick pace before he leaves for war.

What if he never comes back?

"Calm down," her mother said, l with a smile. "I was just as nervous as you were when I married your father. We had known each other for a little a year, but I knew he was it for me and I wanted to have a family with him and a life away from home, but I had my worries that he wouldn't love me forever or that he would turn out to be some different man years down the line. But that was just the nerves talking, your father is the same man I fell in love with when I was twenty four. And Ned, he is so in love with you it's sickening sometimes. He'll make you happy, even if you don't get much more time with him before he leaves."

She knew they fit together perfectly. Her strengths were his weaknesses, and his strengths were her weaknesses. They could complete each other's sentences. They know when the other needs space. And he made her feel so impossibly safe and happy.

"You know, when he proposed and you said yes, he told me that night that he was the luckiest man to ever live." Her mother added.

She smiled and finally turned around, facing the mirror.

Her hair was braided and pinned to my head, just the way she wanted it be, and a few strands frame my face. Make up was minimal, but she could ignore the wide smile on her face.

Twenty minutes pass, before it was time. With last minute fussing and unshed tears, her mother finally left the room to find her father.

* * *

Today was the day.

The day he dreamed of and partly dreaded.

"Daddy?" The soft voice came behind him as his little girl, the shining light of his eye approached him, her chestnut hair in a simple braid around her hair.  
"Hey princess, are you ready?" He smiled as he took his little girl in, her dress was perfect, it looked as if it had been made for her.

She looked stunning.

Today was the day he would pass her on to another man to protect and love her as he did all these years.

"I am," she smiled brightly as she fixed her mother's pearl necklace in the mirror.

But he wasn't sure he was.

She smiled and took his arm. He didn't say anything else, but she knew he was just trying to hold it together. He wouldn't let anyone know that he's really touched. Ever.

But she forgot all about that when they round the corner of the church, and there, standing at the alter, is Ned in a black tux.

The nervous sweats come back, but with the way he was looking at me, she knew he would never regret this.

* * *

It had finally happened. They were man and wife.

Katherine had walked down the aisle with Jim who gave her away with tears in her eyes. He'd never seen the man cry, and it warmed his heart a little to see him happy for them.

They had said their vows, Katherine's utterly beautiful and Ned's heartfelt and meaningful. She had rattled off something about a flower in the spring, and how Ned represented the one thing that had been elusive her whole life so far. Hope after what had happened to her.

Both mothers had dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief as they both said the I do's.

Her father cheered the loudest when they were pronounced man and wife.

They had went back to the hotel and changed into something more casual for their dinner together, they just wanted to be alone after, but with Ned's mother deciding to plan the after party to feel included, they couldn't expect less, so they enjoyed their dinner with their families.

* * *

They were about to cross over the threshold of their room in hotel that he parents had specifically booked just for them.

The first step of toasting.

You weren't really married unless you did a toasting, in Katherine's opinion.

Ned was carrying her in his arms, and he looked down to her with a mischievous grin.

"What?" She asked, looking up into those bright, green eyes, shining brighter than the stars above them.  
"Nothing…. It's just, you look so beautiful…." He pressed his lips to hers and then he set her down, closing the door behind them.  
"….yeah?" She said smiling him.  
"And I'm just this mechanic, and you're this beautiful girl who wants to be a nurse and help people." He cupped her cheek. "I gave you a tire change in what seems like a lifetime ago, which started something. And now you're my wife. How did I manage to get you?"  
"Ned…." She hung her head and shook it from side to side, a fit of giggles coming over her, and he chuckled.

When they finally settled back down, she looked back up at him. He looked like he was about to burst.

"Come on," she laughed, grabbing his hand and leading him to the bed. "We've got a marriage to consummate."

Ned moaned and reached behind her to swing her onto the bed and she laughed, but found himself laughing again too, as she lightly slapped his chest.

"Oh, hush," she says kissing him. "I love you."  
"I love you too girl." His hands peeled the cotton dress from her and skimmed over her lace brassiere and panties. "You look heavenly."  
"Ned, Ned, Ned…" His name is a whisper on her tongue as she bit her bottom lip and rocked her hips toward him gently.

Her fingers undid the buttons on his shirt and found his nipple and licked around the sensitive skin.

"Katherine," he chuckled. "Your first."

She threw her arms around his neck and blushed hard, but he smiled at her, and pulled her to him, hungrily crushing his lips to hers. She kissed him back, her fingers tangled in his thick curls as their tongues dueled for dominance and he nips at her bottom lip with his teeth.

Ned turned his attention to her neck and lapped gently at the hollow just under her earlobe.

"Are you thinking about me touching you?" His voice was low, barely audible.

She desperately sought out his mouth with hers, unwilling to give him an answer, but he moved quickly and grasped her hips tightly, reclaiming her neck with his lips.

"Were you? Were you thinking of how good it would feel if _I_ touched you?" He whispered.  
"Y-yes…" She muttered, hands fell for his waist, to pull him more tightly into her body, to feel him pressed against her, and she gasped as his hardness brushed against her inner thigh.  
"Do you want me to touch you?" He chuckled against her neck.  
"Yes, please Ned." She was humming with desire for him.

She didn't mind it though. Just the opposite, in fact. She could feel herself getting wetter and wetter with every word he muttered against her skin.

"Show me." He nibbled her earlobe. "Show me how you want me to touch you."

Ned pressed his broad hands to her stomach, awaiting instruction, and she tentatively covered them with her own. Slowly, almost timidly, she brought his left hand to her breast and squeezed gently. He responded by tweaking her nipple between his thumb and forefinger even through the fabric, and she keened, wondering for a fleeting second if it was possible to explode just from this feeling alone.

His fingers didn't still against the sensitive skin but once again, he whispered against her neck. "Where else, Katherine? Where else do you want me to touch you baby?"

Before she could stop to think, she guided his right hand down the flat expanse of her stomach, right to the apex of her thighs where she ached for his touch. He peeled her panties off and probed her folds with the lithe fingers she loved so much and the proximity of his hands to her core was too much so she tightened her grip on his hand and pushed him down further, until his long digits brushed against her entrance and the rough heel of his hand was firm against her.

"Show me," he hissed, and even though she was positive that he knew exactly what she wanted him to do, she could deny him this.

So she began to bend her fingers over his, administering a burning touch that she never thought possible. Their bodies worked together, hips bucking, one hand squeezing her breast, the other sliding over her slick center over and over until finally her mouth feels open and her gasps of his name echo against the room's walls. She clenched her thighs around their hands as she thrashed against him while wave after wave of wonderful release rolled over her.

Finally, when the last of the aftershocks have wracked her body, he withdrew her hand from the apex of her thighs, and kissed her languidly.

"We're not quite done," he groaned. "How was it?"

She sighed and rested her forehead against his broad chest.

"You know how it was," she panted.

Her hands drifted down along his torso, over his pectoral muscles, following the streams of sweat, and then her fingers found his belt and undid it. She slowly brought his slacks down and he kicked him off and down to the floor with her dress. Her hands slid underneath his boxers and clasped around his erection gently. She turned her gaze up to him, her brown eyes meeting his green.

"Show me?" She smiled. "Pleasure me..."  
"Always," he found her lips and kissed her passionately.

The fingers she loves so much grip her hand tightly and brought him toward her entrance, and together they begin to move.

And together they became one.

* * *

Jim carried his wife through the door into their hotel room laughing.

"We're not the ones who just got married!" She laughed.  
"Still, you said your feet were aching." He looked up at her. "Would you like to take a bath? I made sure this room had a nice tub because I knew your feet would be swollen by the end of the night."  
"That sounds nice," she let her head lean on his shoulder as he brought her into the bathroom.

He sat her on the toilet and turn the knob on the clawfoot tub.

"You should let me pamper you more often," he kneeled before her and slide off her shoes and pressed a kiss to the tops of both. "Your poor feet."

He pressed a kiss to both of her knees and then lifted her dress to kiss her thighs.

"Jim," she gasped and leaned into the back of the toilet. "Oh, not yet."  
"Honey, I need to distract myself from what is happening next door," he laughed and kissed the tops of her thighs.  
"Alright, but wait until we're in there." She pointed to the tub which had filled very quickly.

He turned the knob off and turned to help her out of her dress. His hand fell over the swell of her stomach.

"You're starting to show. I love it," he smiled and kissed her bellybutton. "Come on. Let's get you in here."

He helped her into the water and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Make a show out of it," she smiled at him. "You're so handsome and I want to enjoy you."

Jim had already removed his jacket, and Melinda sat in the water, watching him, as his hands moved to his cuffs and carefully and slowly undid them. She always tensed when she saw him do that; such a simple gesture but it seemed to promise so much more. It symbolized him relaxing, or getting to work. It promised that he'd soon roll his sleeves up to reveal muscular forearms or remove the shirt entirely.

She watched as his hands went to the buttons on his shirt straining over his chest, and he carefully slipped the first one from its hole, keeping her gaze all the while, his movements business like and matter of fact but when she moved closer she could tell that his hands were shaking a little in their eagerness. She wondered if Jim even noticed his hands shaking, or if he was so absorbed in her, in the task at hand, that it was dismissed in his mind as unimportant.

She reached out as he finished unbuttoning his shirt.

"Let me," she breathed, her hand going to the clip on his belt that attached to his suspenders.

His hands stilled and his eyes were dark as he glanced at her hands, tiny compared to his, pale compared to his, but just as strong, equally nimble. She realized that her own hands were shaking and laughed at herself, raising up on her knees to try and get it done, but instead she found herself leaning against him, her stomach pressing against his trousers, feeling the hardness there. She gasped a little, before pulling away, getting one side from its clip and quickly moving to the other, moving faster this time.

"You're acting like it's your wedding night," he breathed. "Why so nervous baby?"  
"I don't know," she breathed, settling back in the water, watching him pull his shirt from his trousers and slowly pull it over his shoulders, letting it flutter to the floor, leaving him in a simple white undershirt.

She loved this view of him. The view that she was pretty sure only she had ever seen. She moved back onto her knees, her fingers alighting on his shoulders, admiring the muscles there, the rounded shape that only came from hard work.

"Undress for me," she whispered, her tone so pleading that she surprised herself.

Jim's adam's apple jumped in surprise and he slowly pulled the undershirt from his body, stretching at the top, letting her admire the play of muscles in his arms.

"After all these years," he whispered, voice a little hoarse. "And I can still bring you to this point."

She nodded, reaching again, dragging her small hands over his torso.

His hands fell to the belt which he slowly undid with a smirk, letting it clamor to the floor. His fingers then went to the buttons on his trousers, undoing it, letting them fall to the floor as well. She whimpered in the back of her throat as he stepped out of them, and he caught the sound, glancing up at her with an intensity that took her breath away.

"Still mine," he murmured, his large hand reaching out to grab her cheek, bring her face closer to his, capture her lips in his for an all too brief moment.  
"And you're still mine," Melinda whispered against his lips, her bare arms wrapping around his neck for a moment before he released her again, eyes dark.  
"Come in with me," she requested.  
"What do you think I'm doing?" He whispered, and hooked his fingers in the last remaining piece of clothing on his body, which still clung provocatively to his hips.

She pressed her hand to her mouth as he carefully dragged them down, biting hard on her lip as he revealed himself to her gaze.

She would never get over this sight of him either, she knew in her heart, in her soul, in the way her nipples were pebbled and her thighs were tingling; how she felt waves of desire rippling from her abdomen to her pelvis.

He was...magnificent. Always magnificent. Size didn't matter, it truly wouldn't if he was small, but as it was...

She loved that he was larger than what she expected to be average. Loved how well he filled her. Loved the feel of him deep inside her, reaching before unknown depths of her body.

He slid in behind her and she relaxed against his chest, his erection pressed into the small of her back. She turned around and faced him, her lips touching his before drifting.

"Melinda…" He stuttered as her lips drifted down the length of his body.

They were in the bath, both completely nude. Their hands were wandering over each other's warm skin and as Melinda's lips trailed hot, wet paths across his chest. Jim couldn't think.

He was hard and ready. Usually by the time they both got undressed he didn't have to wait long to be inside her. He remembered when she was pregnant with Katherine, she'd been in the same sort of drive where she wanted him every moment she could have him.

This time was turning out to be no different.

And now as her lips drifted lower, down the hard muscles of his stomach, and even dipping below his bellybutton, he could feel his heart beating wildly in his chest.

He felt himself throb at just the thought that she was maybe going to do what he was thinking she was might to do.

"Are-are you…sure?" He managed to gasp out as it became apparent what she was going to do.

She took him in her hand, her head hovering near his now throbbing erection.

She chuckled and said, "Jim watch…"

He just managed to pry a single eye open, glancing down at her when he saw her tongue extend out and lick the head of him.

"Ahh," he hissed, reaching out and grabbing the bedsheets in a clenched fist. "Melinda…"

His pained pleas of ecstasy spurred her on and he was breathing heavily now and when his length finally slid into her mouth he cried out. His hands flew to the top of her head involuntarily and dug themselves in the dark strands.

He didn't care that he could kinda feel her teeth and she only had her mouth around the first few inches or so. The sight of him in his wife's mouth was too much.

"Oh my god," he grunted and when his hips jerked forward he slipped completely inside her mouth. "Melinda..."

He never even knew this possible. He could feel the familiar tightening of his stomach muscles and he let his head settle back against tile.

She hadn't even done much. She released him from her mouth and let her tongue lick him with broad, flat strokes.

"Melinda!" He called out, pulling away and putting an arm on her shoulder to push her back a bit. He gripped himself tightly in his hand and then came in long spurts on his stomach.

Later, when he cleaned himself and came back down to earth a little bit he had Melinda lying on his side, rubbing her back and stroking her hair.

"Can I return the favor?" He whispered and she looked up at him with wide eyes.

She tensed, but she was biting down on her bottom lip and if all of his time with her had taught him anything it was that that meant she was getting wet. Slipping two fingers between her thighs confirmed this fact and he drifted down the length of her body without another word.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: The end with Jimel is Meowser Hotchner, who I cheated out of a full scene last chapter ;) Enjoy xx Mariah**

* * *

With the click of the door behind him, Ned arrived home from work. He couldn't wait to see her, he hadn't since this morning and could already hear her in the kitchen.

Jim and Melinda had left for the week to see Jim's mother and to give the newlyweds some time alone, trusting them to be mature about their time alone.

Hearing her voice was like a drug. She was in the kitchen giving Judy Garland a run for her money as she sang her song. He peeked around the corner and watched her carefully.

Her hair was tied up with a bandana, her arms were elbow deep in a sink full of warm, soapy water as she washed the dishes.

_Somewhere over the rainbow way up high..._

She sounded like an angel and every word she sang resonated in his chest, a tightening sensation that was almost overwhelming. He could hear the emotion in her voice as she sang.

_There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby..._

He felt like he was in a trance. It was like they were nine years old again and her voice was putting a spell on him, making him fall in love all over again.

His eyes raked down her body. She was wearing the simplest pastel purple house dress he'd ever seen her in. He could imagine surprising her with the bundle flowers he held in his hand and spinning her around, kissing her.

_Somewhere over the rainbow skies are blue... And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true..._

She unpluged the sink and let the water drain as she dried her hands off. He found himself walking toward her across the kitchen.

Someday I'll wish upon a star... And wake up where the clouds are far behind me..

She made a noise of surprise, ending the note she had been holding out, as he wrapped his arms around her waist, lips kissing the curve of her neck.

"I am too dirty for any funny business right now." She laughed. "When'd you get in?"  
"Not long," he slid the daisy's into her hand and she kissed him again. "I was enjoying the entertainment." She laughed, hardly thinking he could've actually enjoyed her singing. "You sing beautifully, Katherine. And since you're too dirty, I might as well will do this."

He'd reached into sink to bring a handful of soap bubbles to her face, smearing them around her face to coax her laughter out.

"Oh you're gonna get it," she squealed, throwing some at him.

It was a full out bubble war, bubbles flying everywhere before he captured her lips in his, the soapy taste not bothering him on bit.

He picked her up and spun her around before leaning her against the counter, his hands found the hem of her dress and traced up her thigh before he dipped into her. She started to make little mewling sounds that turn him on almost instantly.

And then it was like were on fire.

_Where troubles melt like lemon drops..._

She grasped onto the edges of the counter as he thrusted inside her. His work pants and briefs are pulled down just enough to free himself. And he was buried deep inside her, so it didn't even matter.

He pulled her hips against his in a frenzy.

_Away above the chimney tops..._

His name on her lips in breathless pants and she clawed at his bag to pull him close enough.

Their lips crashed against each other in heated passion.

_That's where you'll find me..._

His hand found her center, making her scream.

And they came together and everything was perfect.

She pulled him close and kissed him deeply, smearing a small bit of bubbles onto his cheek.

_Somewhere over the rainbow..._

* * *

Melinda paced the length of their room at his mother's house.

"Stop pacing, you're making me nervous." Jim laughed. "Sit, please."  
"We should've brought them with," she sighed. "What if something terrible happens?"  
"Katherine and Ned are very capable of taking care of themselves," he reassured her. "Pacing will not help your worries."  
"Well maybe I could ring the house," she muttered. "Yes. That's what I will do."  
"Melinda, dear, I doubt they will answer." He laughed and grabbed her forearm lovingly. "They've only been married three days. We barely left the bedroom three days into our marriage." She sat down next to him with a huff and he rubbed her back in soft circles. "Worrying is not good for you. Think of the baby."  
"I can't get my mind off of my other baby," she rested her head on his shoulder.  
"Since when have you been the worrier about Ned and Katherine?" He asked. "Isn't that my job?"

She smiled and looked up at him.

"I'm being overdramatic aren't I?" She muttered.  
"Yes dear, you are." He chuckled and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Just relax. My mother is asleep and we should be soon too."  
"Sleep," she said softly. "Yes. We need sleep."

She stood up and opened her bag to grab a nightgown.

Her fingers went to untuck her floral blouse from her skirt, pulling it over her head and folding it carefully back into her bag. She carefully brought the black skirt over her plump stomach and did the same as she did to her shirt.

"Let me," he walked over to her in a gaze and helped her out of her brassiere and panties, helping her pull the snug gown over her.

It fit her gracefully over her hips and breasts and snug around her stomach.

She was eighteen weeks along now, her stomach swollen with their child who had just begun to send Melinda flutters Jim could not quite feel yet.

"Beautiful," one hand was snug against her stomach and the other on her rear. "I'll meet you in a moment."

She let her hair fall over her shoulders as she placed her hair clip on the side table before moving into the bed.

Her eyes met his as he undressed.

Jim had already removed his tie, and Melinda sat in bed, watching him, as his hands moved to the hem of his grey sweater vest and carefully pulled it over his head, placing it inside his own bag. His muscular forearms tensed and grew momentarily in size.

"Enjoying the show?" He breathed.  
"I always do," she blushed, settling back in bed, watching him pull his long sleeve undershirt from his trousers and slowly pull it over his head, letting it flutter to the floor.

She loved this man more than anything.

"After all these years look at what you do to me," he whispered

His hands fell to the belt which he slowly undid with a smirk, letting it clamor to the floor with his trousers.

His erection was prominent in his briefs and she smiled.

"Come here," she breathed softly.  
"Gladly," he raced to the bed and under the covers, pulling her close and looming over her. "I love you."  
"I need you, Melinda." He murmured as his lips trailed along her jaw, "If you will let me."

A quiet moan escaped my lips when he found her earlobe sucking it into his mouth.

"Of course," she purred.

He reached for her hand, placing it against his chest, her fingers curled against the fine hairs that grow there. His skin was tan and soft, contrasting starkly with the light skin of her hand.

Spreading her fingers flat against him, she slowly let her hand trail against his skin, watching the way it pebbled under her touch. He was the only man she'd ever seen or touched this way, and watching her husband's reaction to her had always been intoxicating. His blue eyes were dark, pupils taking over most of his irises, kindling a fire that quickly courses through her entire body.

"Jim," he whispered, her breath suddenly short as though she'd been running, "James, kiss me."

His lips met hers in a second, hot and demanding, his tongue found hers, brushing long strokes against it. Her hands refused to remain still, sliding over the taut muscles and soft skin of his chest. He growled against her and she shivered as his fingers worked at the silk of her nightgown.

When they finally parted for air, he let out a deep laugh, one heavy with passion, "Arms up."

His hands ghosted over every part of her body as he brought the dress up and over her head before it fell to the ground.

His hands grazed her ankles, pulling her against him.

"Still want this?"

He always doubled checked, always thinking she wouldn't want him for some reason.

She nodded enthusiastically.

"Words." He said in a deep, gravelly voice.  
"I want you James, always have, always will." She brought his lips to hers and he laughed against her.  
"I just always want to check. I will not be one of those men who force their wives to be intimate." He reassures her.  
"And I love you for that," she smiled at him.

He resumed his slow movements, kissing a trail down her body, spending an equal amount of time on each breast using his tongue, teeth and lips to make her scream out for him. He was soon kissing her hips and then her thighs.

With each inch, the fire inside of her grew hotter, an inferno blooming between her legs in a way only her husband could do.

He brought to finger to her slippery folds to gather more arousal, then he dragged them up until they caught on the swollen cleft of her center. She whimpered and arched under him as he stroked and circled, pushing her toward release; he lifted his head to watch her face, her features contorting and relaxing with the building pleasure.

She was panting now, her mouth open as she sucked in air, her eyes struggling to stay open, and they clamped shut a moment later; her mouth stretched open to release a broken, punctuated moan as she came, and she dipped her head back, inadvertently pulling on his hair.

Mesmerized, he probed between her folds and carefully pushed his index and middle fingers inside her; her walls fluttered with the contractions of her orgasm, and she grunted as her body adjusted to the intrusion.

He pressed a kiss to her, down there, softly before he brought himself to loom over her face.

"I love you," she panted. "Always and forever."  
"I love you too," he kissed her deeply, mumbling softly against her as he sheathed himself deep into her. "Always and forever."

Then he was there, inside her, with her every inch of that long, glorious climb to oblivion, and when she reached the top he was there with her still, his harsh cry mingling with her own as she fell into his arms, her fingers dug into his back.

They met each other beautifully, becoming one as they pressed forward.

He touched her body so gently and passionately as if they were going to die tomorrow. One of his hands idly stroked the smooth, skin of her back. The other hand was meshed with mine, cradled on his chest, and one silky leg was wedged firmly between his thighs.

"What's wrong?" She asked and looked up at him, her lips touched his jawline softly.  
"Nothing," he panted and drew her in closer.

She rolled on top of him, his hands found her stomach, smoothing over it in the form of a circle as he kissed it.

She loved this moment before they made love again, where he was nestled deep inside of her and they just looked at each other completely engulfed with each other.

They made love again, slowly this time, he kissed every inch of her until she wept with frustration. Taking her to the peak of oblivion again and again until he couldn't stand it anymore and went with her, tumbling even further into an abyss of love.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Ned is off to war and Katie is at home, worrying herself more and more each day. Enjoy :) xx Mariah**

* * *

Ned decided that on his last day in town he'd spend it with Katie, having a picnic in the park on this beautiful July day, not too hot but definitely not cold.

She looked beautiful in a blue skirt, his favorite color, and a white sleeveless shirt.

Walking through the green painted, wrought-iron gates, he had his arm wrapped around her waist and picnic basket in the other hand.

"You don't have to always be so perfect, you know." She smiled at him as he laid out the blanket for them to lay on.  
"I will always do my best for you," he sat down next to her and touched her cheek. "You look beautiful today."  
"You say that every day," she laughed.  
"And I will until the day I'm wrong which will never come," he reassured her. "You will always be a dame in my eye."

He opened the basket and pulled out two sandwiches, tuna for him and turkey for her.

"Turkey on wheat for you, and tuna on white for me." He smiled and unwrapped hers and gave it to her.  
"My favorite," she whispered and took a bite as he leaned back on his arms next to her, taking a bite of his too.

That sat in silence as they ate and watched all around them.

Over to the right there was a children's playground, with a sandpit, swings and roundabouts all being used to their full extent by a myriad of squealing and laughing youngsters, obviously enjoying the warmth and sunshine of the Summer day. Parents, seated nearby, watch their children with the intensity of a mother hen nurturing her chicks.

Conversely on the opposite side of the path is the lush vegetation of the many trees, with their welcoming shade, and the colourful plants, their heady scent filling the air. As they looked further into the park they saw benches, painted green to match the foliage, with people sitting on them, some just resting, others enjoying a sandwich or cool drink.

He breathed in deeply, savouring the freshness and perfume of his beautiful wife next to him and it gave him both peace and exhilaration at the same time. He always enjoyed being in the park, like so many others, and was thankful that it was here. It was a place he visited often, and hopefully will do so again in the future when he returns home.

"Well this must be the most romantic picnic I've ever been on," she said leaning into his chest. "And the most interesting and perfect choice for cuisine." His arm graced over her bare skin, just watching her. "Penny for your thoughts."  
"I love you," he said simply. "I always have since the first time I saw you, and I know this might sound crazy since we're married and all, but I just needed to tell you again because-"

He lost all confidence to talk with the way she looked up at him.

"What?" She asked, touching his face.  
"I'm not afraid of dying," he answered softly. "But I am afraid of dying without you know how much I care for you."  
"You're not going to die Ned Banks, you're going to come home." She said sitting up and looking at him. "To me."  
"I just think-" He said.

She cut his words off with a powerful kiss, his hand fell to the small of her back and pulled her close.

He would never forget how it felt to be with her, to kiss her, to be loved by her.

Their teeth scraped together as they pulled away from each other. The small clinking sound of two teenagers in love.

She bowed her head to hide her flushed cheeks, waiting for him to tell her what he was thinking. It was short, and she had been thinking more about what could go wrong rather than savouring her last moments with him before he left, but she wouldn't change it.

He was amazing.

"Why don't you let me do the thinking for the both of us," she said looking up at him. "I've got a crazy idea. Do you trust me?"  
"Yes," he whispered, only audible to her, and kissed her once more.

This time more passionate, tongues dancing together as her freshly manicured nails scratching through his hair lightly.

Today would be the perfect day.

* * *

Later that night, the newlyweds laid in bed after another scandalous swim at the lake just enjoying each other's company.

He'd never expected her idea to be that, but it was amazing to see her like that, laughing and having fun with him, the bareness of their bodies not being awkward anymore, but welcoming and beautiful.

"Have I ever told you how much I love you in this nightgown Katherine?" He asked, his eyes drifting over her form-fitting nightgown which was a pristine light pink.

It pooled around her like liquid silk. The silk caressed her skin like a cool autumn breeze.

"Many times," she giggled. "Have I ever told you how much I love bare chest, being able to run my fingers over it and feel the pebbling hair growing in."

Silence fell between them and they just enjoyed each other's company, his eyes not leaving hers, making sure he would memorize how beautiful she looked in this moment.

"What around you thinking about?" He asked, his thumb caressing her wrist.  
"The house we're going to live in here in Ashwick Valley," she smiled up at him. "We should paint it blue."  
"Anything else?" He asked, kissing her forehead.  
"Well since our house is going to be so big," she exaggerated with a smile on her. "I supposed we'll need to have children."

He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her wrist and knuckles tenderly.

"A little girl, just like you." He whispered. "Danielle, I've always adored that name."  
"Yes, and a son," she said softly. "We could name him Charles, like your father."  
"Yeah," he smiled and kissed her, rolling on top of her slowly easing his weight onto her.

Her hands slid up to his shoulders, curling around the muscles there, and then she was flush against him. Her grip aggravated his erection, but he wasn't going to object.

He went rigid at the feel of her body pressed against his; he was swelling again, wedged between her pelvis and his thigh. He swallowed thickly, resting his hands on her hips. At this distance, he could make out every feature of her face.

Her eyes were watching his face closely, her lips parted slightly. Beads of moonlight dotted her face, from her freckled nose, and down over her beauty mark just to the right and below her bottom lip.

"Maybe we should try a few more times before I leave?" He asked.  
"Definitely," she whispered, capturing his lips again.

He broke the kiss with a gasp and trailed his lips down her neck, his tongue darting out to lick a wet trail to her shoulder where he sucked lightly. He made sure he'd leave a mark, so she could remember just how much he loved her.

She was breathing heavily, her neck stretched out. He glanced up at her quickly, then he lifted his hand to settle between them, cupping her left breast. She inhaled deeply, her teeth catching her bottom lip; he kneaded the mound more enthusiastically, circling her nipple with his thumb. He brushed the erect bud with the pad of his finger repeatedly, back and forth, before he lifted the weight of her breast in his hand to his mouth.

He sucked harder, eliciting another guttural moan from her throat, and her fingers twisted in his hair, tugging slightly. He breathed out sharply around her nipple, throbbing at the sensation, then he moved to her other breast, scraping his teeth over the hardened peak until she squirmed impatiently.

He shifted his weight off one arm and slipped it between her thighs, ghosting his fingers through the slick juncture of her thighs; she gasped, her abdomen tensing, and a strangled noise stuck in his throat.

She was so wet, so welcoming for him.

He pressed down, sliding two fingers through the slippery folds to gather more of her arousal, then he dragged them up until they caught on the swollen cleft of her center. She whimpered and arched under him as he stroked and circled, pushing her toward release; he lifted his head from her chest to watch her face, her features contorting and relaxing with the building pleasure. He positioned himself farther up her body so his face hovered over hers, and her eyes snapped open when she felt his lips flutter against hers idly, his teeth catching her bottom one periodically. Her irises were practically black, wide but dark as they stared at each other.

She was panting now, her mouth open as she sucked in air, her eyes struggling to maintain contact with his, but then they clamped shut a moment later; her mouth stretched open to release a broken, punctuated moan as she came, and she dipped her head back, inadvertently pulling on his hair. Mesmerized, he probed between her folds and carefully pushed his index and middle fingers inside her; her walls fluttered with the contractions of her orgasm, and she grunted as her body adjusted to the intrusion.

"Oh Ned," she breathed, and he pumped his digits inside her a few times until she slumped, withdrawing them to lick them clean. "I'll never get tired of how well you are doing that."  
"Need another minute?" He asked, his lips finding the spot just below her ear that made her swoon.  
"No," she panted. "I need you, now."

Her hands tightened on his shoulders, her back bowing slightly as her body welcomed him, her breathy moan echoing his choked groan. She clenched around him reflexively once he'd pushed into her, and he dropped his face to the crook of her neck.

He would never forget how amazing she felt, so warm and inviting. He braced himself above her and kissed her deeply, one of her hands moving to his face, before he tucked his face into the crook of her neck.

Never. He'd never forget.

* * *

In the middle of the night Katherine woke Ned again.

She wanted him again and she wanted him in that moment. They still had their night, their time together, he didn't have to leave yet and she was going to make the most of it in every way possible.

This time, it was with her lips closing around his length. She felt sexy and powerful as he stared at her with dark, hooded eyes, his fingers locked in her hair. She smiled up at him and ran her tongue down him, raking her nails up his thighs. Then she straddled Ned's body, teasing him and rubbing against him.

He brought his hands up and she allowed them to glide over her body for several moments before she took his hands and pushed them away. And then she sank down on him, pressing her hands to his strong abdomen to steady herself. She bit down on her bottom lip as she slowly swiveled her hips.

He thrusted up into her, trying to get her to move faster but she just threw her head back and kept the pace that she wanted as she rode him.

His hands move up her body again, but she took them in her own and pressed them into the mattress. She had to lean over and it changed the angle, causing both of them to cry out and start moving more frantically against one another. She laced their fingers together, holding tightly as she came again, his name spilling from her lips on a load moan. She collapsed on his chest and Ned gripped her hips, thrusting up into her as he followed her over the edge.

She closed her eyes and pressed her cheek to his chest. The reassuring thumping of his heart lulled her to sleep.

But the last thing she felt were his lips pressing to her forehead and his fingers tracing over her back.

* * *

That morning he rose before she did, going to see his uniform hung on her closet door.

His brown military jacket with gold buttons making him realize how final today is. He may never come home to her again.

He looked over to see his wife sleeping peacefully, her dark hair sprawled over the pillows, face peaceful and claimed by sleep, the sheets wrinkled and messy from their memorable night of making love to each other over and over again.

"You're awake," she yawned and sat up, the sheet falling from her.  
"Now I'm really awake," he said and ran to the bed, tackling her down.

His fingers brushed over his ribs and he tickled her softly, causing her to laugh loudly.

"I don't think we have time for this," she laughed and then kissed him.  
"Not even a little?" He asked, kissing her jaw.  
"No. Go shower and get suited up," she smiled. "I'm going to go get dressed, and maybe meet you in the shower."  
"Alright," he said and stood up, grabbing his briefs and pulling them on as he made his way to the bedroom door and then to the bathroom.

She heard the water trickle on as she pulled herself from bed, wandering over to her closet and setting out a light pink dress and undergarments, sliding on her robe as she creeped out into the hallway.

"Hi honey," her mother smiled as did the same, dressed in her usual Saturday morning dress, her father's snoring very present in the air along with the shower. "Did you get a good night's sleep?"  
"I did," she said as she walked toward the bathroom.  
"Do you want your father and I to come with you to see Ned off?" Her mother asked.  
"No. I'd rather do it alone if you don't mind," she replied.  
"I understand. It's almost lunch time, I'm going to make sure your father is up before I run to the grocery and get some things for dinner." Her mother said. "Anything you need?"  
"Umm I do need a new pair of stockings," she answered and turned the knob. "I must get in the shower though before he uses all the hot water."  
"Alright. I'll make a note of that," her mother smiled. "Tell Ned I say hello."

She closed the door behind her and slid her robe off before getting into the shower behind him.

"Hey," she whispered as she wrapped her arms around his slick body, his muscles relaxing as she rubbed up and down his chest.

She pressed a kiss to his shoulder and he turned around to face her.

"Let me," he said and began to help her wash her hair.

Soon they were both cleaned and relaxed as they made their way toward her bedroom.

She sat on her bed and watched him dry off, towel tightly wrapped around his waist.

"What's wrong?" He asked, his hair, damp and all over the place from trying to wash it with a towel.  
"Nothing. I'll just miss seeing you dry your hair with that towel and seeing your bare chest every day and being able to just..." She stood up and walked over, kissing him deeply. "To just do that every time I see you."  
"Hey, I'll miss you too." He said smiling at her. "Just don't forget about me?"  
"Never," she said softly and laid her head on his chest, still slick with water, to hear his heartbeat.  
"I better get dressed," he cleared his throat.  
"Me too," she sighed and left his embrace, walking over to the bed and grabbing her brassiere.

* * *

They walked hand in hand through the small airport just a short drive from her parent's house.

Ned stood stiffly in his dark green and brown starched and pressed uniform next to her as he signed the registry and saw where his plane would be departing, families all around them crying and hugging.

She noticed William out of the corner of his eye, dressed in uniform soothing his crying mother.

It was raining, pouring, dark and dreary as they stopped just before the exit, only trickles of water getting inside and soaking their feet.

"I'll write you once I get there," he said looking down at her, wiping a tear away. "I'm coming back to you Katherine. I am."  
"Is that a promise Ned Banks?" She asked.  
"As long as you wait for me it is," he answered.  
"Oh I'll wait for you," she whispered, snaking her arms around his neck.

He kissed the tears from her lips. He swept her off her feet, pulling her above his head and kissed her.

Her tears ran down her face to where their lips meet, each of them tasting the salty drops. Instead of detracting from the intensity of the moment it brought them to heights. He pushed his lips in more firmly and the wave that ran through her was intoxicating, making her head swim as she pulled back to take in his beautiful face.

"You're the damn thing in my life," he said kissing her once more.  
"I love you Ned Banks, more than anything else in the whole world." She breathed, as he wiped away one last fallen tear.  
"I love you too Katherine Banks," he'd never said that before, the name she took only days ago. "To the moon and back, but I must go."

And with that, he was gone, running through the ran, sack over his head.

She saw a small glimpse of him as the plane rode off, his hand pressed to the window as she stood there, utterly alone, and waiting for him to return to her.

* * *

It was long after the plane and flew away when the roar of a car came in earshot.

She'd stood there, her legs aching from not moving, just staring at the slick concrete.

"Katherine Ann! What are you doing here?" Her father yelled and ran up to her, her mother in tow with an umbrella. "You'e had us worried sick. Why didn't you come home?"  
"He's gone," she said simply and her mother pulled her in close, as if she does every time she cries. "He's really gone."  
"Oh baby, he'll come back." Her mother whispered, lifting her head to look at her. "I can feel it, and am praying for it, every day."  
"I'm sorry for yelling," her father said as it turned into a family hug. "I can't even begin to wonder how you're feeling right now."  
"What if he doesn't come back?" She whimpered into the embrace.  
"Oh honey, I don't know if he will, but I hope to God that he does. I just started to like him." He pulled back and looked at her.

She laughed and looked at him.

"I'm glad you finally liked my husband," she said and then felt another breakdown but held it in. "What did you make for dinner?"  
"Three cheese casserole," her mother nudged her side.  
"My favorite," she smiled.  
"I know, and I also got some strawberry ice cream and we can all listen to a radio program together." Her mother said wiping away tear.  
"That sounds nice," she sniffled.  
"Come on. I'll drive the other car home, you go with your mother." Her father said and took the keys from her hand, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

Soon they were home, Katherine wrapped up in a blanket eating her pint of ice cream while her parents were snuggled up next to her, her father's head resting on her stomach while listening to a radio program.


	14. Chapter 14

Ned watched the sea, lost in the rhythmic percussion of waves on sand. His eyes were steady to the horizon, face aglow with the last orange rays before twilight beckoned the stars. Katherine would've loved this, she loved sunsets and would always go sit on the porch with a cup of tea and watch them every night.

The beauty of the sunset only intensified his pain. He just wanted to be home with Katherine, to hold her in his arms, to smell her hair again and make love to her every night.

The defiant sky adorned itself with brilliant reds and oranges, clothed itself in garish splendour. He glared back at the mocking swirls of colour, the whites of his eyes pink by crying and pinker by it's refection and without warning an epiphany struck. His weakness was his strength. The harder he worked, the closer he got to being home with her.

His lips bared the semblance of a smile, just enough to show that he is enjoying his thoughts. Writing letters home were one of the most difficult things.

When he put pen to paper, it opened up emotions inside of him that he had locked down hard in order to be able to do what he is asked to do day in and day out. It made him softer, more vulnerable. But at the same time it was all that kept him going, to re-read his crumpled mud-stained correspondence, to remind him who he was fighting to go home to.

It was hard to know what to say though, he didn't want to scare her, he didn't want to say too much because then he cried while writing it. Spelling had always been a problem for him too, so he was reluctant to use large words.

In the end it was brief, he ended it with a description of this beautiful sunset he'd just seen over the Mediterranean Sea and he hoped it was poetic. He told her of his undying love for her and how he hoped she would write soon, and that he loved her no matter what and would come home.

He was a boy soldier.

It was 1942 and he wanted to just be home with his wife, but he wouldn't let that affect his service. His military pay would be sent home to support his mother and sisters, Katherine's idea. He remembered that conversation so clearly...

_"So my military pay will go to help you with your nursing internship," he said looking at his enlistment card._   
_"No. I have money Ned, give that money to your family." She said rubbing his back._   
_"Katherine, don't be stubborn." He looked over his shoulder. "It's our money, you're my wife and you deserve to go to that internship."_   
_"But as I said, I have money in my savings Ned. Over three hundred dollars," she smiled at him. "Give that to your family, please."_   
_"Fine, but only because you asked nicely." He laughed and stole a kiss from her. "Want to distract each other again?"  
"Gladly," she laughed._

He was barely six feet tall and he hadn't yet had to shave. But he was a fast learner and obeyed his superiors without question. In battle he was fast and efficient, had already learned how to shoot his gun and killed one of them, it hurt his heart because he didn't want to have to hurt anyone.

He had found his brother and they luckily were based at the same place, bunkmates actually, and they had never been closer.

He also had slip in something about the photographs she'd sent him. The one of her alone, looking rather ravishing, if he do say himself had helped him through a rather hard day. Relieved some tension and cleared his mind.

* * *

It had been two weeks already since he left, and Katherine had finally gotten back into her daily life.

Mostly because her summer internship at the local hospital had started, but also she needed to act alive again. She wouldn't be the next Vicki Hausmen who just cried every day over every little mention of the war or her husband.

She smiled when someone asked her about Ned, about if she'd heard any news from him.

But she hadn't heard from him in over a week. She expected it must be because he was traveling to his base somewhere in Italy like he'd explained in his letter.

She'd sent him one in return, explaining how her internship was going and that she'd learned about the front lines moving in on Germany and that according to Mr. President, the war was close to being over. She's also told him about her trip to the beach with parents and Hannah. That she'd gotten a new bathing suit, even sent him a few photographs.

One her mother had taken when Hannah and her were laughing so hard that she couldn't breathe. She'd needed that day, it set her on the right track again.

Another was of just her and she hadn't even known that her mother was taking it. She was standing before the boardwalk looking at the ocean, her white bathing suit clung to her figure and showed off her waist and gave some ample cleavage, and her hair was in a braided bun, the water had been too cold and she was just enjoying the sun, hoping for some much needed color. Some of her stomach was showing, but even with the looks she'd gotten from people, she didn't really care.

She felt good and Ned had given her that positivity in herself, gotten her to feel alive and beautiful again. She'd sent that one to him to help cheer him up a little, to keep him positive, and maybe help relieve some tension after a long day.

But today she wasn't feeling well, her feet ached from doing her rounds at the hospital and she just wanted to lay down before her head exploded.

All she could hope was for a letter when she got home, something to cheer her up from the fact that she'd been thrown up on three times today.

"Katherine, honey, is that you?" Melinda called as she stepped in the house in her nursing uniform. "Oh it is. I think I have something that will cheer you up." Her mother dried her hands off on her flour stained apron and walked over to her, handing her an envelope. "It's from Ned."

Her face lit up and she took it from her, ripping it open almost immediately as she took off her shoes.

"Long day?" Her mother asked and kissed her cheek.  
"the longest," she sighed. "I was thrown up on three times."  
"Well let me wash that for you before tomorrow," her mother said turning to the kitchen.  
"Yes. I'll go change," she laughed and jogged to her room, suddenly feeling much better.

She slipped the stationary from the envelope. From what she could tell from the mud splatters he'd written it while in the trenches, he'd said in his last letter it got rather boring there that they sit there for hours upon hours in mud until the enemy came out of his own trench.

Sounded rather stupid for warfare technique, but what did she know about warfare? Nothing really, what she did know was that she wanted to read this letter.

* * *

_My dearest Katherine,_

_I'm sorry I haven't written to you as much as we both hoped I would, but as we thought, war is exhausting and my energy levels aren't the same as they are back home. They are running me ragged here with constant drills and such, but I've gotten in the best shape. My arms and stomach are more muscled, I can't wait for you to see._

_I found Christopher, we're bunkmates, same platoon even! We've never been closer! He really has my back, always covering for me and I would always do the same. In case you wanted to know, William is doing well. He's a good shot and actually changed a bit, more mild tempered and friendly. It's a nice change to see._

_Thank you for the pictures, it was good to see you so happy. You looked beautiful. Thank you sweetheart._

_Okay, forgive me for this, but I am going to try and write the best description of the most beautiful sunset I've ever seen. It reminded me of when we went on that walk just before your parents came home from Raleigh. Tonight, the sun poured out its hot oranges and reds into the clouds like a pot of molten lava. Never before had I realised how tenuous and thin the tranquil clouds were over here. Wispy and frail, like they only just exist. An orange haze casted over the moving sea, reflecting off every wave. Half of a glowing, radiant light loomed on the water's horizon. A warm sensation was splashed onto my face from the beaming rays of the sun. A calmness flew by with the wind making my heart stop for a single second. I wish you could've seen it. It was beautiful. You could hear the grasses rustling from behind as if they were whispering one another to hush. I even say a dolphin leap and sang at the golden sunlight! Finally, the sun disappears along with its shine. But the stars peek out under the black, night sky. It was so calm, so beautiful._

_You should've started you internship by now, how is that going? Are you keeping busy and having fun learning? I know you love to learn more, even if I don't. Our children will one day be so smart because of you!_

_I love you, I do Katherine. I always will. Treasure these in case I don't return home. Know that if I die, I will die loving you. Your picture is in my front pocket, a reminder to keep going, to come home to you. I must bid my goodbye, lights out is being called for my platoon._

_I love you. Write soon,_

_Ned._

* * *

Her heart grew a thousand sizes.

She could just imagine how beautiful that sunset would've been and it was so thoughtful of him to try and write it down for her. He wasn't too good with his words, but she could picture it.

She ran to the window and threw her the curtains open to see the sunset. She couldn't help but smile when she saw the brilliant orb of amber and tangerine sink lower and lower in the sky until it dipped down into the horizon, painting the sky in magnificent hues of fiery red and crimson.

The colors faded from maroon to neon pink and majestic purple. An impossibly bright orange colored the world a sparkling gold as the sun descended. The sky changed from cornflower blue to a subtle purple, speckled with diamonds and adorned in one large orb of opal.

She'd definitely had to write about that to him and about her first day. She'd sent a letter off this morning before she went to the hospital, asking how he was and explaining how her internship was going before she'd gotten this letter. This time she'd focus more on happy things, and trying to cheer him up.

"Katie, honey, have you changed yet?" Melinda asked, knocking on her door.  
"No. I got caught in this letter." She sighed. "I need your helping getting out of this. I can't quite reach the zipper."

Her mother came in and she set the letter on her bed, walking over to her and she pulled the zipper down and she stepped out of the uniform and walked toward her closet, picking a comfortable dress she could wear around the house and to bed tonight.

She picked a blue cotton dress that Ned said he'd loved. Blue was his favorite.

"Ned on your mind?" Melinda asked and wrapped her arms around her, pressing a kiss to her shoulder.  
"He always is, especially after his letter." She smiled and turned around, her mom was further along now, her stomach growing larger with her baby sister or brother every day. "Ooh was that a kick?"  
"Yes. We have an active little one on the way," Melinda laughed. "I'm hoping and praying for a boy just for a change and because your father is kind of surrounded by women."  
"Oh a little brother would be great," she said and touched her stomach. "Yes, dad needs more testosterone in the house."  
"Just a tad," her mother said and kissed her cheek. "Come on. Want to help me with dinner?"  
"YEs," she said grabbing her letter and walking out. "That would be great."

Maybe life wouldn't be so bad after all.


	15. (Part One)

**A/N: Part One of Three of Katherine's birthday :)**

**Enjoy xx Mariah**

* * *

Two weeks had gone by, and Melinda got bigger and Jim fell harder for her each step of her pregnancy just as he'd done when their child was born.

And now it was that day, marking the day when Katherine was born all those years ago. It was always a special day to every person in the family, Katie especially because she would be racking up another year.

This year being the one giving her the freedom do to so many things, she was an official adult to the government. Even if she was still her parents little girl, she was all grown up. She'd grown up more since she'd met Ned back on the last day of school than she had in her entire life.

And now it was July 17th, 1942.

Her eighteenth birthday.

* * *

The clock struck _twelve_ on that very day as Katherine lie awake in bed.

She hadn't sleep very much the past few days. She was far too worried. She hadn't heard from Ned in over a week. She supposed his letter could've just been lost in the mail, but she also assumed he could've been shot and killed. But don't they send officers to the house?

Yes. They do.

She'd seen one visit The Banks' household already on a walk with her mother. Christopher Banks had been placed under the title of missing in action and then two day later declared KIA.

Killed in Action.

He had been given the Purple Heart for his bravery to face oncoming fire and save three wounded men.

What did that mean for Ned? Was he alright? Was he grieving over his brother?

She didn't know because he hadn't written to her.

She'd attended the funeral, giving her love to Ned's family and even helped cook dinner a few times because his mother just wouldn't get out of bed. Too sad to move over the grief of her eldest son losing his life.

All she could do was hope Ned was alright.

* * *

He read over the fourth letter Katherine had sent that week, he just couldn't write to her right now.

Not after what he'd seen, after what he'd done.

He watched his brother's brain be blown out with a single bullet, just fall over, dead.

And the next day he was so far gone he didn't even know what he was doing. Some Russian hookers came through their camp, promising a night of greatness for a single cigarette.

A pretty girl, with soft doe eyes and brown hair whispering in his ear as she would, kissing his neck and then his lips. He almost kissed her back before he realized that she wasn't Katherine. That whore was not his wife, Katherine's lips were never chapped and they _never_ tasted like cheap alcohol.

She'd never forgive him.

He'd betrayed her. He deserved the sickness he'd caught from all the water they'd been standing in.

The other men in his platoon called it "kennel cough" and even those not so badly affected lost sleep; always one of the ten men left were sick. His tour started off with forty men, and they were down to ten in a matter of weeks.

He wasn't going to make it home. He'd never get to kiss her lips again.

Soon the whistle blew and knew it was wake up. Five thirty in the morning was wake up, beds made and everything clean and tidy before a breakfast of overcooked egg and toast. Ned sucked back coffee so bad he wouldn't water a plant with it and stood to follow his platoon.

The day ahead promised rain and cold mud, and tomorrow was more of the same.

He listened to another one of Hank's stories from home, about his wife drove him crazy and his three kids never quit screaming.

"Come on Ned, you've got to have something to talk about from back home?" Hank nudged him a little. "You're always so quiet."  
"I got a girl back home," he said placing a bit of tobacco under his tongue as he stood to check enemy territory, adjusting his helmet. "Her name is Katherine. We married before I left, I love her, more than anything."  
"Young love is always nice to hear about," Victor cheered. "How long were you married before you came here?"  
"Four days," he answered itching his head. "It felt like four years, those few days. I'll never forget em'."  
"Sex?" James asked, he was from New York, only sixteen. He'd wanted to avenge his father's death and signed up for the war.  
"Of course!" He laughed. "The best in the world. Many good memories."  
"Leave the poor kid alone. His memories with his wife are for him to know." Hank explained.  
"Thank you," he sighed and leaned against the wall.

Things progressed from that day and he watched that young boy be shot down by the enemies.

It was a hopeless battle.

They outmanned them and out-gunned them. Rockets picked off ten at a time. Tanks rolled in. Helicopters sprayed bullets at them, but they still ran in.

Until the order came to retreat. Soldiers ran, but still they were picked off, two more fell and he knew there was no hope in running, but kept going anyway.

He watched as Hank fell, clutching his neck as he screamed.

Ned dashed to him, dropping his weapon and to his knees, holding pressure to his neck as blood squirted in his direction.

The bullet wound was a mess, as if he'd been hit with two different kinds of weapon at once. There was the usual dark red hole that oozed thickly, but also hundreds of different tiny wounds – like shrapnel.

"Run boy!" Hank managed to say as Ned tried to find something to stop the damn bleeding. "You do me a favor, go home to that wife and love her like the world will end tomorrow. And please, send this-" He reached in his pocket for a few pieces of paper and pictures. "To my family, the address is on the envelope. Please Ned, just run. Let me die if it means you get to go home."  
"Yes sir," he took what he told and put it in his pocket.  
"Run boy!" Hank coughed as he stood, gathering his weapon and running toward the rest of his platoon.

The words echoed through his head as he ran faster than he thought his legs could carry him.

They made camp that night after the shooting died down, bombs could be heard in the distance as he sat by the fire eating what little food they had.

"We lost four men today, four great men." Victor exclaimed. "We shall remember them for who they were, great men who fought and died for this country. We shall remember Hank for his sense of humor, James for his laugh, George for his cooking, and Henry for courage in the first great war along with this one. To them!"  
"To them," the remaining six men cheered as they drank from their canteens.  
"Let's call it a night, we have an early start tomorrow to return to base." Victor reminded them as he stood and turned toward his personal tent.

We all carried one on our back with all of our things, just in case of situations like this.

"I'm gonna go take a leak," he muttered and stood, turning in his dish.  
"Don't go far," Victor patted his back as he walked past him.

He nodded and walked past a few lonesome trees, picking on and dropping his zipper. He was soon down and wiped himself with a leaf before stopping in his tracks, looking down at what his foot sat atop of.

"Victor!" He yelled.

The man came running, two others followed and he examined the landmine.

"Son, you're in a bad pinch here." Victor muttered. "If you move we'll all be blown to bits, but none of us deserve that."

He watched as William stood before him along with Charles.

"Charles, do you have any suggestions? You were the war long before I was," Victor asked.  
"We could try and disarm it, or even outrun it." Charles examined it.  
"We could set something of equal weight on it." William suggested.  
"Like what?" Charles looked around and not much was in sight.  
"That boulder," William ran to collect the large rock, setting it behind where Ned's foot was. "Now Ned, you're going to have to remove your foot and I will push it there, hopefully in time. You all will need to run like hell."  
"You'll be killed! We all will!" He yelled.  
"That's a risk I'm willing to take, I have no one at home." William exclaimed. "You do Ned! As much as it pains me to say this, you have Katherine to go home too. You need to act like it."  
"I know that she is there waiting for you, I do." He said.  
"You tell her what I am doing for you, maybe it will reminder her that I'm not the boy who hit her, the boy who raped her. That I found myself again, I am the same man she fell in love with when we were sixteen, I am. I loved her and even though I lost her, that I still care enough to make sure her true love returns home to her" William explained. "Do that and my death will be avenged. It will be worth it. Please do that for me Ned."  
"I will," he said.  
"Now on the count of three I was you all to run like hell." William set his hands on the rock and looked up at Ned. "One... two..."

Ned rose his foot on three and ran as William pushed the rock over, but didn't make it in time as it detonated, blowing him to bits as he crashed to ground and yelped in pain.

He looked down at his leg to find it gone from the knee down as Victor ran toward him.

"Looks like you're going home boy," Victor said as he and Charles lifted him back to camp.

He was going home.


	16. (Part Two)

**A/N: Part Two of Three!** **Enjoy xx Mariah**

* * *

She laid in bed as her mother and father tiptoed in her room with a bag, the birthday present wake up.

"Baby girl, it's time to wake up." Her mother hummed and sat down next to her, rubbing her back. "Baby?"  
"I'm not in the mood for a present," she cried.  
"What's wrong?" Her mother asked as she turned around, red eyes and tear stained cheeks breaking her heart. "Baby it's your birthday, don't cry."  
"What if Ned got hurt? His brother was killed and I haven't heard from him in over a week," she sobbed. "I can't live without him."  
"You'd feel it," her mother said softly and wiped away her tears.  
"What do you mean?" She asked.  
"Right here, you'd feel it." Her mother pressed her daughter's hand to her chest, feeling her heart beat. "Do you feel his love? Your love for him?"  
"Yes," she smiled and looked down at her ring.  
"Then he's alive, you'd feel it honey. You'd feel a break in your bond with him if something happened." Her mother set the pink bag on her bed as her father sat on the other side. "Happy birthday sweetheart."  
"Happy birthday, princess." Her father whispered as he wrapped his arm around her, kissing her cheek. "I can't believe you're eighteen. You're all grown up."  
"Now open your gift," her mother smiled. "For me?"

She laughed and reached for the pink bag.

She pulled the tissue paper out and saw the stethoscope and smiled.

"I knew she'd love it," her father gleamed as she pulled it out and put it around her neck.  
"To remind you of that you'll be using it one day," her mom smiled.  
"It's brilliant," she laughed and hugged them both. "Thank you. Thank you both for keeping me sane these past few weeks."  
"It's our job sweetheart," her father whispered and kissed her head. "Breakfast is on the table getting cold. Come on."  
"Waffles?" She smiled and he winked.  
"Go find out," her father laughed as he helped her mother up, letting his hand roam over her stomach lovingly.

She left her gift on the bed, jumping from the sheets and excitedly running into the dining room like she was eight all over again.

Her parents would plan this morning for weeks, getting supplies and surprising her with a different setup every year.

This year was balloons galore, every color she could think of were in balloons around the room tied to something. Waffles were piled on a plate next to a plate of bacon and sausage, the next plate had eggs, scrambled and sunny side up.

There were bowls of blueberries, raspberries and strawberries for the waffles and she giggled in excitement.

Then she saw two more bags that she assumed were more gifts. Her mother could never resist on a cute dress or pair of shoes in her size, let alone anything she knew her daughter would like.

"It's perfect!" She squealed and ambushed them with another hug.  
"No more tears?" Her mother smiled.  
"I can't with all these balloons and streamers and food, oh the food. You really out did yourself," she said and hugged them both again. "You can't tell me that you guys got me more presents."  
"Oh you deserve them both," her father said grabbing a bag. "This one first."  
"Am I gonna cry? Just tell me," she whispered and looked up at them.  
"Probably," her father said softly.  
"Ugh," she laughed and pulled the tissue paper out of the purple bag. She pulled out a piece of paper and read over it, it was too technical and wordy for her to truly understand and she looked up at them. "What is this?"  
"It's a house, you told us about looking at a house and we found a paper in the kitchen." Her mother explained. "Your father and I walked through it and it needs some fixing up before you can live in it, but you and Ned can do that when he gets home. It's in your names."  
"Ned and Katherine Banks," she read them with a smile on her face. "That house was so expensive... 1400 dollars daddy."  
"We negotiated it down to eight hundred," her father laughed. "It was way overpriced for the amount of work that needs to be done. It needs a new roof and new siding."  
"The yard is a mess," her mother added, being the gardener she is. "I can help with that."  
"Also the spare room needs new flooring," her father said softly. "I can help with that too, if you want."  
"I want to wait until he's home before we do anything," she smiled. "I'm glad it's ours though."  
"Now that one," her mom giggled.  
"Is it a dress?" She asked.  
"How'd you know?" Her mom smiled.  
"You always get me a dress for my birthday," she laughed and hugged her. "I"m starving. Let's eat."

There was a knock on the door and she looked down at her nightgown and her dad, the most dressed went to the door.

"Hello. How can I help you?" Her father said flatly, no cheer in his voice to the interruptance.  
"I need to deliver this message to a Katherine Banks, it's regarding her husband Ned Banks?"

She heard her father say something about her birthday and felt her heart break.

"Mom," she gasped.  
"Princess, someone's here for you." Her father called and she fell to the floor, her heart beating too fast for her to move.

Her heart beat as fast as a hummingbird's wings.

"Katie, babygirl, don't think the worst..." Her mother sat beside her and rubbed her back. "Maybe he was just wounded babygirl."  
"What if he's dead?" She sobbed. "Mom-"  
"Don't think like that," her mother wrapped a blanket around her, to conceal her body that was somewhat on display in her nightgown.  
"Katherine?" Her father came into the room and he ran to her. "What happened? Is she alright?"  
"She doesn't want o hear if he's-" Her mother paused and couldn't say the word, looking at her own husband.

Melinda knew she wouldn't survive without Jim, he was everything to her.

Her rock, her savior, her true love.

"Katherine, princess, look at me." Her father touched his daughter's face, lifting her eyes to his. "He's not dead. You need to hear this."  
"He's not dead?" She whispered.  
"No, he's not." Her father reassured her. "This officer needs to talk to you. Trust me."

She took his hand and stood up, wrapping the blanket around her as she walked toward the door.

"Are you Katherine?" The man asked, straightening his uniform.  
"Yes,' she said softly, nodding in case he didn't hear her.

The man before her was time worn and war torn at the same time. He was cleanly shaven and had a fresh haircut. A scar crossed his left eye, to where his right ear should be, but wasn't. His fingers constantly pulled an invisible trigger as if he were in the middle of the battlefield at his side. His dark blue eyes looked at her trying to pick out if she was a liable ally or a traitor. His skin weathered and dark like leather left out in the sun too long.

"You're husband was injured by a landmine and suffered injuries that make him unfit to continue his service," he stuttered. "He's in a London Infirmary and will be airlifted to Raleigh and transferred here by the morning."  
"He was injured? Where? Is he alright?" She asked, her heart beat so fast as this information was relayed to her. "Will he be okay?

Ned would be coming home.

She'd have her husband back.

"He lost his right leg from the knee down," the man read off the piece of paper and gave it to her. "I must be going. I have a few other house to notify. Could you point me in the direction of 1289 on this road?"  
"That the Davis' house," she said softly and pointed to the big yellow house at the end of the road. "That's it down there."  
"Thank you," the man answered and Jim closed the door.

She embraced her mother tightly.

"He's coming home," she sobbed as she felt her little sibling kick.

She smiled and the family embraced, Ned coming home was truly the best gift she could've ever gotten.

* * *

She woke suddenly, every thought in high definition. His eyes took in every ray of light and without a doubt he knew he'd been out too long, his last memory was William telling him to tell Katherine something.

Katherine.

The noises were in full swing, traffic heavy.

He struggled against the straps and looked around to see medical equipment surrounding him in a military plane.

"Hey, hey son." Victor said kneeling down. "You're on your way home."  
"William?" He asked.  
"He's gone son," Victor explained and he looked around to see five coffins around him with flags on top of them. "Just relax. We're still five hours out."  
"Katherine," he muttered and winced as he saw his knee, just s tub wrapped in gauze. "She-she's gonna be so mad at me. I didn't write her."  
"She's been notified son." Victor pats his shoulder. "Just lay down and rest some more."  
"I'm thirsty," he winced.  
"Water?" Victor called out and he was given a canteen. "Here son, drink up."

He felt the water glided down his throat and he felt woozy, his head was spinning all he could see was white a moment later.

"Just relax son, you'll be home before you know it." Victor's voice was all he heard as he blacked out and found himself at the lake again with Katherine.  
"Katherine," he whispered and fell asleep.

* * *

_Today the clouds are white marble on blue satin, dove grey underneath and brilliant white where they are thin enough to let the light through._

_The view was wondrous to behold, for the lake teemed with life. To the chorus of birdsong from the surrounding green bushes, and the sound of carp sucking amongst the flowering lily-pads, mother duck, watchful for the predatory pike, scooped the surface for food, with her young trailing behind like a row of bobbing corks. Dab chicks and coots fed in the safe haven of the reed-beds, whilst flashing green and blue dragonflies hovered above._

_"Come on!" Katherine pulled on him as she stood before him in her two piece swimsuit._

_This was the first time they'd been at a lake with clothes on, granted it was in Raleigh and there were actual people here rather than at home where no one really went to the lake at home, it was like their little hideaway._

_"Last one in gets splashed!" She squealed and bolted toward the water, leaving her dress by their basket._

_He ran after her, discarding his shirt by her dress and grabbing her by her waist, throwing her of his shoulder and she squealed._

_"Ned!" She laughed as he threw her into the water as he went under as well.  
_

_They both surfaced and she laughed, kissing him deeply._

_"Hello my dear husband," she smiled and touched his face._  
"Hello my wife," he said kissing her nose. "I'm gonna miss you so much."  
"Don't remind me," she whispered and floated on the surface of the water.

_He held her by her shoulders, his head resting on her shoulder._

_"What are you looking at?" He whispered in her ear.  
"The sky, it's beautiful today." She smiled._

_He looked up with her and saw the high, ice-crystal clouds which look like wispy curls of hair, different from when they first arrived, a sign of weather change on the way._

_"You're the most beautiful thing I've seen today," he brought her to his arms and she wrapped her legs around him as he settled against the sandy ground._  
"You're too sweet," she smiled and then kissed him. "You know that?"  
"I know," he laughed and kissed her again. "Wanna get funky?"  
"Oh yeah," she whispered and kissed him. "I dare you to try and slip in right here, right now."

_She wrapped her arms around his neck as they kissed more deeply and he moved to her neck, feeling himself grow to size against her thigh._

* * *

He awoke slowly and saw the hospital, knowing it to be the same place he'd visited Katherine after William hurt her the last time.

He was home and couldn't couldn't move.

God, where was she? Did she even know he was here yet?

"Katherine," he groaned as the nurse walked into his room, hips swaying and catching his eye for a moment.  
"Is Katherine the lucky girl who's your wife?" The nurse asked as she checked his pulse and listened to his head. "Strong heart rate," she said softly and looked at his hand. "What's her last name young man? Do you want me to contact her? I heard you're a soldier, welcome home."  
"Katherine Banks, my wife." He gasped as he sweat harder.  
"Slight fever, possible infection from field amputation," she noted as she squeezed his hand. "The doctor will be with your shortly. I'll look up your wife and contact her. Just get some rest."

He fell asleep, and only one thought was on his mind.

Katherine, he was going to see her again.


	17. (Part Three)

**A/N: Reunited! Enjoy xx Mariah**

* * *

Ned's parents had gotten there first, his mother was hysterically crying about everything.

About how she'd lost Christopher, that he'd lost his leg, that Katherine was pretending like her life was normal like her husband wasn't in the war.

"She didn't even acknowledge me at church today. She was all cheerful for some odd reason that I don't know." His mother sighed, fixing her stitched up dress. "It was rather odd."  
"Ma," he warned.  
"Has she even come to see you? Or wrote you while you were away?" His mother asked.  
"I've been here a total amount of five hours. I doubt she even knows I'm in the States." He explained. "And she wrote me every single day, sometimes twice a day when I didn't answer quick enough."  
"What could be so cheerful about today?" His mother muttered.  
"It's the eighteenth of July," he chuckled and winced as he tried to move his leg to a move comfortable spot. "I may be out of it, but today is her golden birthday. She deserves to have a happy day. And she was probably given news that I was on my way home."  
"I was notified as well, but I sat here until I could see you." His mother replied. "She is just galavanting out there in a new dress with a big ol' grin on her face and fancy jewelery like always."  
"Oh darling, stop being so fussy about Ned's girl." His father sighed. "She's a North End girl, she has the money to galavant. She doesn't have worries like us West End people."  
"It just ain't right! She should be here with him dotin' on him." His mother sighed.  
"Mom, Katherine didn't base her entire life around me like you did with dad. Times are changin' ma. She doesn't have to wait on me hand in foot and act like doesn't deserve to be treated like an equal." He explained. "And I'm not gonna be a drunk like dad and knock her around like he does you."  
"I don't know what you're talking about boy, but if you don't knock it off I will use this belt on you like I did when you were a young thing." His father stood up, his hand on his belt buckle. "You may be an adult, but that doesn't mean you're man enough to talk to your mother or myself like that."  
"You both can deny it all you want, but all us kids have ears. We ain't dumb." He muttered. "I'm an adult and I don't live at home. I'm married because I love Katherine more than anyone. She'll come, she will."  
"Well we better get going. We have the church potluck to get too," his mother stood up and looked at his father. "We've gotta pick up the little ones from grandma's."  
"You remember what I said boy," his father tapped his cheek and grabbed his mother by the waist, tightly, pushing her into the hallway and closing the door behind him.

He settled into bed and looked down at his legs, it was almost as if he could still feel his right foot, move it, even though it wasn't there.

His legs were typical legs most men in his family had. Long and thin with knobbly knees. It was the appearance of someone who had grown a great deal in a short period of time. He had the hair of an adult but not the bulk or the muscle, and lacked the rest of his right leg.

They had amputated it just below the knee where the bone stopped, so he could still move his knee with only about two inches of leg after it and it weirded him out, so he didn't move it too much unless he had to.

He'd heard about the advances in the medical research in fake limbs, he just couldn't remember the word his doctor had told him. A prosthetic, he believed. And he would be fitted for one in two weeks if he was showing enough promise and was recovering nicely.

What he needed was five hundred dollars and time to learn how to walk again, and that wasn't something he didn't have and could never ask anyone for.

* * *

She could still smell the scent of him, feel his calloused hands on her skin and hear heart beat through his ear.

"You're coming back to me Ned..." She whispered and fiddled with her wedding rings.

Katherine Banks removed the pins that held her hair together and placed them upon the vanity in front of her. She tossed the loose curls around before making her way over to the bed they shared together before he left. She picked up the marriage certificate that was placed on the nearby nightstand and traced her fingers around her name and smiled.

What a few weeks could do to someone's life.

Her mother came barging into her room and she looked up from the piece of paper.

"Someone just rang from the hospital," her mother smiled.  
"I'm not due in for another hour, what could they want?" She asked grabbing her uniform from her bed.  
"Ned's been admitted, he's stable and wants to see you. They said you can postpone your internship until he's better and home." Her mother explained. "I think that's mighty nice of them."  
"Oh! Oh mama, he's stable and everything?" She dropped the uniform, not even caring about being in just her brassiere and panties.  
"Yes, they were able to stop his infection in his knee and save part of it." Her mother hugged her tightly and kissed her cheek.  
"That's great, oh I need to see him mama." She smiled. "I don't even know what I'll do when I see him."  
"I know you do, now get dressed dear. Your father and I will bring you there once he'd finished his lunch." Her mother walked to the door. "And you'll do what you need to do when you see him."  
"What should I wear?" She pondered as the door closed. "Blue, his favorite."

She walked to her closet with the biggest smile on her face.

She was going to see her husband today.

* * *

Ned had been told that she was coming, Katherine was on her way to see him.

He couldn't be more excited to see her than he was right now.

"How are you feeling? Any discomfort?" His nurse asked checking his medicine bag. "Are you hungry?"  
"I am a little hungry," he smiled. "I just can't wait for my wife to get here. Thank you for calling her."  
"Of course," she smiled at him. "I'll go get you some lunch. Just sit tight, dear."

Maybe he could get a bit of shut eye before she got here, he was a little tired and wanted to be completely alert when Katherine got here...

_Ned entered his bunk at base in Italy, his crisp white shirt fit him perfectly with his dog tags hanging loosely from his neck. He looked around the room and saw the rest of his unit surrounding the company billboard hanging from the wall._

_Distant whistles could be heart as he made his way closer. Curiosity getting the best of him._

_"What are you guys- " He immediately stopped, "Hey!" He shouted as he snatched the picture they were hanging._  
"Aww c'mon man…" a familiar voice complained.  
"Chris! That's my wife!" He barked.

_Ned placed the picture of Katherine back into his pants pocket and scowled at the rest of the men, especially Chris._

_Christopher Banks had been the first person he had met in his unit, and he just happened to also be his brother and Ned considered his only friend, even if they did pick on each other like brothers do._

_"C'mon Ned we were just playing a goof on you…" Chris followed Ned over to his bunk and laid across his bed as Ned took the picture from his pocket and opened his trunk._

_Inside were pictures Katherine had sent of her, and even some of his mother and his family. He placed the picture back where it belonged…on top of all her letters._

_"So how'd a yo yo like you get a girl like that anyway?" Chris joked. "You never did tell me little brother."  
"One day, I'll tell you more about her," he smiled and_ _just continued to stare at the picture of the wife he had left too soon._

_All he wanted was to have her back in his arms. If this war ever ended he made a promise to himself never to leave her side again._

_"Hey did you hear a whole new recruitment of nurses came in today?" Chris winked._ _Ned just rolled his eyes. "C'mon little brother…a bunch of dames like that I couldn't possibly handle by myself." Still nothing. Chris sat up setting his feet on the floor, "Ned, I'm not saying stray…just come out. I know you still feel guilty after those Russian whores came through. Get your head out of the clouds and back into reality. For god sake we've hit the jackpot. We're stationed in Italy!"  
"Just tell me when and where…" He reluctantly sighed.  
_ _Chris clapped his hands together, "Terrific." Chris jumped off the bed, "Well I have to go meet up with Davis, I swear if I don't get that kid off the kitchen duty he's gonna go A Wall." Chris laughed._ _He shook his head, "I know you don't like the guy, but come on, give him a chance."  
"He's not a good guy," he muttered and looked at his wedding band.  
"He's here fightin' isn't he?" Chris asked as they walked out.  
"Just because he got drafted doesn't make him a good guy. _ _After what he did to Katherine..." He sighed._ _"He's just peeved he's on kitchen duty. Thinks it's a woman's job."  
"Well it kind of is, what man knows how to cook as good as a woman?" Chris laughed.  
"I guess," he muttered. "I've gotta take a shower, so go deal with Davis."  
_ _"Alright. I'll see you at dinner." Chris turned and began to walk away but soon after stopped, "You know Ned…you're lucky. A lot of us wish we had a dame waiting for us back home like you do."_

_He smiled and punched his brother in the shoulder as he walked past him and Chris tapped the back of his head._

_They loved each other, just never said the words._

_Little did they know that would be the last time they ever spoke._

* * *

Katherine walked down the hallway of the hospital, her parents had went to the cafeteria to get something for her mother to drink while Katie went to see Ned.

They'd wanted her to see him on her own first before they came in.

She'd brought him some comfortable clothes, she knew the hospital gowns were too itchy here, from experience and from helping people into them. She hadn't brought herself to look at Ned's side of the closet since he'd left. It had just been too hard to see his things, but know he wasn't using them because he was overseas.

She and Ned had made a promise that they would make a home for themselves when he returned home. She looked down at her hand and smiled, the happiness that Ned Banks had brought to her life was indescribable. He was her world and all she wanted was for him to return home in one piece.

And he had, just messing a bit, and that was fine. He wasn't missing his love for her, at least she hoped not.

"Damn this war," she muttered.

She knew when that Ashwick Valley had a sense of home for her, but until Ned came into her life she didn't know what home felt like. With every ounce of her being she needed him to be okay.

She made her way over to room 202 with a smile on her face. Since the moment she woke up she had felt as if something was right. Katherine never considered herself a superstitious person, so she chalked it up to nothing, and now she was going to see him again.

She reached for the door and slowly entered, staying in the corner.

He was asleep, he had scratches all over his face and was breathing unevenly.

Katherine stepped from the shadows and sat beside him. Suddenly her defences were just paper, paper that was being soaked by the rapidly falling briny drops. Before she could draw in the air her body needs she melted into him, lying beside him, head tucked into his chest. She could feel his firm torso and the heart that beats within. His hands were at his side.

She could feel her body shake, crying for the missed time, crying to release the tension of these long weeks.

"Wake up, please God, let him come back to me." She whispered and felt his arm against her back.

She looked up at him and kissed his cheek, his eyes opened and he looked at her.

"Ned?" She whispered.  
"Where am I?" He called out and moved away from her.  
"You're home." She sat beside him and felt his bandaged limb touch her hip.

It was gone. His right leg from the knee down was gone.

"No," he muttered. "I'm not home. You're not her, you're that stupid Russian whore trying to seduce me again. Go away. I told you to go away!"  
"Ned, it's me. It's Katherine," she grabbed his hand which he yanked away.  
"No, don't confuse me." He muttered. "My just brother died and you're back and trying to confuse me."  
"Ned," she cried and reached out for him again. "You're home. It's me," she touched his face and sat down next to him. "Look at me, Ned. Here's the ring you gave me," she showed the rings and smiled. "I love you."  
"Katherine," he whispered. "I'm so sorry."  
"You're home and that's all that matters. " She whispered and touched his face again. "You look so different."

His shoulders were no longer those of a youth but of a man. He had learned so much.

How to shave, how to iron clothes, shine boots and run for hours in mud; over rocks and through rivers. He had learned how to get along with others in his troop. He had learned how to be independent away from home. He had learned marksmanship and how to shoot down the enemy.

He wanted to be a hero and a patriot, to serve with courage and dignity. He was everything his country should be proud of.

But when he came home with disabling injuries to body and mind, who then cared for him? When the PTSD took over and he screamed at his wife, what then?

"You look the same, and that's the best all around." He smiled. "Beautiful."  
"I love you," she smiled and ran her hands over his hair. "But you're hair... it's shaved down."  
"It was a requirement," he sighed. "I love you too beautiful."

He brought his face to hers and their lips met, the moment she had dreamed of for so long. He placed his hand on her waist and drew him closer deepening the kiss. As they parted she saw his eyes sparkle and lips curve up into a smile and she couldn't help but smile back.

They were together again.

"Happy birthday," he whispered.

The best gift she'd ever gotten.


	18. Chapter 18

Ned had been in there for weeks and there was a time when he'd seen Katherine walking the halls in her uniform.

It had made his day to see her working and of course she'd checked on him, giving him his daily dose of a long meaningful kiss.

But he couldn't wait until he could get out of here and be home with her.

The nightmares had lessened some and he'd started talking to someone weekly and if it was a bad day, sometimes more. He just had a feeling then when he'd get back to his normal routine things would be better.

"You go home today," Katherine said as she sat beside him, pressing her stethoscope to his chest. "Normal heart rate, beautiful smile and time for your medicine."  
"Oh boy," he said gleefully.

She pressed her lips to his and smiled as his tongue pushed through, searching for hers.

"Someone's eager today," she laughed. "Feeling better?"  
"I haven't seen you since Saturday," he kissed her again. "I missed you. Yes, today's a good day."  
"I would've come but I had church and then there was a potluck after and your mom was giving me some serious glares." She sighed. "But I think she just misses you and hates that I took you away in some sense."  
"Don't let her bother you too much," he answered. "She's just jealous I'm with you all the time."  
"Are you really feeling better? No nightmares?" She asked, touching his forehead for a fever. "Don't lie to me."  
"No nightmares this week," he said softly.  
"That's good," she cheered and kissed him. "How about your leg? Any feeling?"  
"Once and a while I'll feel like I can move my toes," he muttered as she removed the blanket to examine his incision.

She examined the healing wound carefully, only letting herself graze over the bandage.

"Your infection is gone," she breathed. "Thankfully," she slowly reapplied the bandage. "Just think, you'll sleep in your own bed tonight."  
"With you?" He asked.  
"Why wouldn't you be sleeping with me?" She said.  
"I just thought since I was hurt, you wouldn't want to share a bed with me." He answered.  
"It's not like if you were to have your own room you'd grow your leg back," she kissed him. "You're home and I'm never letting you out of my sight. I've already arranged for my internship to be on hold until you're settled in."  
"Katherine I can't let you do that," he sighed. "You can't just put your life on hold for me."  
"Let me?" She looked at him and sighed. "Since when have you ever been able to make that decision?"  
"I didn't mean it like that, I'm sorry." He replied. "What I meant was you shouldn't have to do that for me. I'll be fine, you don't work that long of hours."  
"I have a few other patients to see before my shift is over," she stood up and fixed her uniform. "I'll see you later."  
"Katherine," he touched her hand as she checked his pulse quickly. "Don't go."  
"I have to work, if you'll let me that is." She muttered and pulled her hand away from him, walking out of the room and closing the door behind her.

He laid back into his pillow and sighed. He could never say the right things anymore.

And now they were fighting, their first fight.

* * *

She was irritated the rest of the day with what he had said.

That he couldn't let her put her internship on hold for him. Doesn't he know that she loves him enough to do that for him? She didn't care what she had to pass up if it meant that she got to be Ned, someone who meant more to her than any career possibility, because no matter the success or monetary gain, or even satisfaction she got from doing her job, she knew from experience with Ned, and from watching her parents… none of that meant anything when you were with the person you loved.

And she also knew, on a more practical side, that you shouldn't turn something solid down just to live a fairy tale but she also knew that she didn't really need the internship, that her career as a nurse could go on without it and she'd make enough.

And that was all Katie wanted right now as she considered her husband, and her job, and everything in her life.

She wanted enough. Not overabundance. Not need.

Just enough that she could sit back at the end of the day and not fret about what she'd do tomorrow, or what she hadn't done today.

Just enough that all worries could be soothed away with the touch of his hands.

She'd clocked out and collected her things, knowing she wouldn't be back here for awhile before making her way to Ned's hospital room. She'd signed all of the papers to get him released and brought his wheelchair, knowing that he'd need it even if he refused to believe so.

She knocked and heard him say something, opening the door to push the chair in and closing it behind her.

"I said to not come in," he sighed as she struggled to pull on his boxers.  
"Oh, you're a bit naked." She laughed and locked the door. "Here, let me help."  
"I've got it," he muttered and fixed himself. "I don't need your damn help."  
"See this is why I need to stop my internship, you're too stubborn." She said sitting next to him. "I'm your wife, let me help you."

He reluctantly let her slide his undershirt on and then helped him with his pants before twisting around to grab his shirt.

She sucked in a sharp breath as his almost shirtless torso was exposed to her. She hadn't seen him like this in so long.

Gawking wouldn't quite describe her state. She was stunned, flabbergasted, amazed, wonderstruck, mesmerized by his physique and how strong he'd gotten since he'd left, the way his muscles tensed and flexed. His body was drool-worthy, it always had been.

He had a chiseled chest and the skin on it was scarred, but beautiful. His abdominals were sculptured to perfection as his six-packs popped. She won't forget about his arms for years. His biceps were the size of her head yet lean and his triceps looked like diamonds - really rare ones, indeed - and completing his masterpiece of a bodice, his shoulders, round and protruding, give his whole look a new flavor. She wanted to extend her hands and touch, but she also don't want to add anymore tension.

"What?" He cleared his throat as he grabbed his shirt and struggled to pull it on.  
"You're handsome, so handsome." She smiled, her fingers running over his chest now prickled with chest hair.  
"Could you, maybe, help?" He asked and winced as he moved his leg.  
"Of course," she smiled. "I hate fighting with you, even if it is our first. I don't want a second."  
"Well there will be a second, and a third. It's just life." He sighed. "I don't want to be mad, and I'm not, not really anyway. I'm sorry for speaking to you like I did."  
"Ned," she touched his face. "You don't-"  
"No, I said something my father would've and I don't want to be him." He explained. "You make whatever choice you want to. That's something I will never take away from you, your choices." He struggled to, but reached out to touch her face and smile. "I love you Katherine, that is something that will never change. No matter how mad, how old and senile, I will always and forever love you the most."

The silence floated around them, as his declaration of love hung in the air.

She loved him so much, as he did her in return.

She looked up, meeting the tender, softness of his green eyes. He took her hand, his fingers rough and worn scratched against her smooth skin. He looked deep into her eyes, and they stayed like that, looking at each other with mutual intensity, until he cupped her chin in his hands.

Their eyes slowly lulled shut and she pressed her lips to his, not having the patience for him. When they did, sparks flew, and a warm feeling spread throughout her. His mouth molded to hers, a slow tango of lips and tongue.

They separated and she smiled at him.

"Forever and always," she whispered and kissed him lightly.  
"Take me home?" He laughed and winced while trying to push himself up from the bed.

She grabbed him and stood him up, helping him balance on his good leg and bringing over the wheelchair.

"I've got you," she said holding it in place with one hand while helping him to the seat. "Just use our mind and you'll be able to do it."

He sat down with a grunt and touched his leg.

"You'll be a good nurse, one day." He smiled. "I mean, you caught me before I fell."  
"I've got some muscle." She laughed and kissed him. "Ready to go? My mother is outside waiting for us."  
"I know you do," he replied as she grabbed his things. "Did you get my crutch?"  
"Yes, it's in the automobile." She said pushing him out to the hallway. "Ready to go home?"  
"As long as you're there every step of the way, of course." He touched her hand as an orderly opened the door.  
"Come on, hand please. I'll get you to the automobile safely." She laughed and he took her hand and she pulled him up.  
"I'm sure a little woman like yourself would need some help," the orderly said. "Hold the door."  
"You hold the door, he's my husband. I don't need your help," she said flatly as he leaned against her. "You okay?"  
"Control the mouth on your bitch," the orderly scoffed.  
"Don't use a word like that to my wife," he muttered. "She may speak however she wants to. All she did was say no to your help, she didn't need it."  
"Think what you want, but she's one of those..." The orderly paused and looked her up and down. "Feminists."

The was a chill in how the orderly had said it before he walked away.

"Sorry," she said to him and he smiled.  
"Don't be, he's a prick." He kissed her. "Let's get going before your mother has to fill the tank from all this waiting."

She laughed and he hopped forward, having to stop three hops later to breathe.

"This is harder than I imagined," he sighed.  
"I've got you," she looked at you. "I told you, you needed my help."

He shook his head and she laughed.

"Don't rub it in," he said and hopped again and she opened the backseat door. "I can't do it. My other leg is cramping, it's gonna fall off and then I'll be useless. A laughing stock of the town, and you'll be stuck with me. Ashamed and stuck with me."  
"Hey, I will never be be ashamed of you." She whispered, touching his face. "Never. Please understand that I will never ever, ever, stop loving you. And I'd be glad to be stuck with you, to have a family and build a life whether we'd be looked down on or not... I love you. You risked your life for this country, and you lost your leg. God sent you back to me, and thanks to William, you're here in one piece."

She kissed him and he smiled.

"You always know what to say," he whispered as she helped him sit. "Thank you, but I haven't got any tip."  
"Oh shut it," she laughed and helped him buckle in, closing the door on him and getting in the front.  
"Ready to go home?" Melinda asked with a smile, looking at Ned and her daughter.  
"Yes," they both smiled.

And Ned couldn't wait.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: The beginning scene with Jimel is set before Melinda left to pick up Katherine and Ned from the hospital :) Enjoy xx Mariah**

* * *

Melinda had always been his weakness. The only one who could tear him away from his work with a smile, and now that she was pregnant he couldn't keep his eyes off of her. The way she moved differently and how each part of her grew right along with their child. He couldn't take it anymore.

Katherine and Ned wouldn't need to be picked up from the hospital for another hour and he still had time to bask in the glory that was his wife.

"Melinda," he called out to her as he stood from the living room chair, setting his newspaper down.  
"Jim?" She laughed slightly as she stuck her head in the room. "Dinner should be done by the time the kids get home."  
"You know how the color blue makes react to you," he cleared his throat and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose  
"You told me that when I put this on," she smiled. "How I looked dashing in blue."  
"More than dashing," he smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist, letting his hands smooth over her stomach.  
"Then what?" She asked softly.  
"You are incredibly sexy," he whispered, bringing his lips to her neck.  
"How can you possibly find me attractive right now?" She laughed and relaxed into his arms.  
"In any state, my wife, you arouse me." He said into her ear and nibbled it softly.

She smiled as he whisked her into his arms effortlessly and carried her away.

"Where are you taking me?" She asked as he closed the door with his leg, lying her down on the bed.  
"You've been messing with me all morning," he chuckled. "Now it's my turn."  
"I have done no such thing!" She gasped as he pulled his ratty old high school tee that he only wears on Sunday's after morning mass.  
"Oh you haven't been bending down to show me your behind or your breasts?" He asked, stepping closer and kneeling between her open thighs, pulling the string loose to reveal her bare chest to him.  
"Well maybe just a wee bit. They are extra nice today," she smiled.

His hand slid down over her breast, swollen with milk. The hungry look in his eyes shot more heat radiating through her limbs and to her core, and when his mouth bowed into that private smile that he only directed at her, she lost any willpower to fight him.

She needed him too.

His strong hands framed her cheeks and brought her lips to his. She used her own hands to tangle through his curls as she moved her mouth eagerly against his.

Kissing Jim was and will always be her favorite thing to do. There was something so intimate about their mouths connecting, fusing together and their breaths mingling as if sustaining each other. She could kiss him forever.

Their lips molded effortlessly, Jim increasing the passion of the embrace by swathing his tongue along the seam of her mouth, nudging his way inside with leisurely licks and gentle bites. She whimpered when his hand dipped between her thighs and his fingers slipped underneath her panties. He tickled the soft thatch of curls above her sex. They trailed lower still, teasing her wet folds until his thumb pressed against her center and her whimpers grew more vociferous.

She arched against him, her stomach pressed into his and he smiled at the kick from their child.

"Oh-Jim!" She gasped as he lowered himself to the floor, knees against the hardwood.

He kissed her folds as his fingers slipped inside her, bringing her that much closer as her impending orgasm as he pressed his mouth to her.

"Ahh, oh, oh god." She braced herself as lapped his tongue around her center, chuckling against her as she came, her thighs slick with sweat.

His fingers slipped from her and found his mouth, licking them clean as he stood before her, dropping his pants quickly.

"I need you," he growled and brought her up the bed, lowering himself above her. "God, you're beautiful."  
"I love you," she whispered, kissing him deeply and reaching beneath to palm him.

He responded by snaking his hand down to pull his boxers down and release his throbbing erection. She readied him, not that he needed it by pumping him quickly.

"I need you-" he growled and stopped her hand. "I won't last long if you keep touching me like that."

She grabbed his length again and eased him inside, earning a garbled "fuck" whistled between his gritted teeth. Once he was fully sheathed inside her, she swiveled her hips and bucked her hips against him. He body flush against his, and he began to thrust, his grip on the sheets and underneath her tightening.

She closed her eyes and let her cries of pleasure seep out, echoing through the room and hallway. Her breasts jiggled and repeatedly smashed against his chest, and for a second, she opened her eyes and met his, still impossibly and indisputably blue in the dim sunlight.

"I love you," she murmured.

But as she declared the three words, he plunged back into her with such force that she cried out in pleasure.

He continued to thrust into her, he changed the angle so subtly that it filled her to the hilt, and with each snap of his hips, the head of his erection rubbed the needy bundle of nerves just above where he slid in and out of her. She knew this shift was intentional for her benefit, that they both loved when he filled her like this. Her eyes rolled back, the tension building in her, and she groped for a fistful of sheets as another scream slipped from her throat.

"Come with me, Melinda." He whispered.

And with a few last thrusts, he slammed his pelvis up as she rolled her hips down and the coil snapped, her walls fluttering madly as her orgasm ripped through her. She relished in the feeling of him pulsing inside her, his warmth flooding her while his body trembled beneath her as he rode out his own climax.

"Mmm…so good." He slammed his lips against her, kissing her slowly while caressing his cheek. "Always so good. I love you."  
"I love you more," she whispered. "But sadly, I have to go get the lovebirds from the hospital, so please clean up and finish dinner for me."  
"I can go," he whispered, kissing her against as he slipped from her, collecting his boxers. "You stay here. You don't need tire yourself.'  
"I enjoy driving thank you very much," she laughed and carefully sat up. "I need help standing up."

He pulled her to her feet and kissed her, palming her ass before kneeling down and kissing each of her breasts and stomach along the way.

"So beautiful," he whispered and kissed her stomach again, getting a kick from their child. "Hey little one. It's daddy here,"  
"You're so adorable," she smiled and fixed to top of her dress. "Now do I look alright?"

She made she her dress was smoothed out and not sticking to her in anyway before pulling her hair into a bun to hide the obvious messy of her curls.

"You are glowing," he smiled and kissed her. "Now are you sure you want to go?"  
"Yes, the driving should calm him from kicking too much." She replied and slipped her shoes on by the bedroom door.  
"How are you so certain that we're having a boy?" He asked, hand at the small of her back as he walked her to the front door.  
"Mother's intuition." She whispered and kissed his cheek. "Promise me you'll have dinner finished by the time I get home?"  
"I promise, if not you can tease me all night." He opened the door and gave her the keys.  
"Oh no, I'll punish you much later when we're alone." She smirked and he couldn't help but smile in return, knowing exactly what she'd do.

And he didn't mind.

* * *

It had been a long, very long and very tiring day for Ned.

He'd never realized how much help he actually needed to get around. And he hated it.

Katherine had helped him in the house and to the living room, to the kitchen table where a delicious meal sat, and then back to the living room. He felt bad at this point that she was helping him to their bedroom, where she'd have to help him undress and be disgusted by his scars again.

"You'll be better at getting around, it's just your first day." She reassured him with a smile. "I'm just glad your home."  
"You're too good to me,"  
"I'm your wife, I'm supposed to be the best to you." She whispered as she kissed his cheek and went around to close the bedroom door. "I'll be right back. Just going to say goodnight to my parents."

The door closed with a click and his fingers went to his shirt, pulling it over head quickly. That was easy enough.

Maybe he could surprise her, get dressed on his own and still have energy to make her scream his name again. If she'd even be up to making love with such a hideous person, he'd changed too much for her liking. He could just feel it.

He worked his pants down to the floor and smiled when he only had to get to the closet to get pants.

That would be easy enough. He had his crutches right there.

He reached out and grabbed the contraptions and was able to pull himself up to his feet.

"This is gonna be a piece of cake," he smiled. "She'll be so happy she doesn't have to help me as much anymore."

He took a wobbly step and winced.

All he knew was that this was painful. And sure, it would get better, and he would learn to use them better, but right now all he knew was that he would have blisters on his hands and the beginnings of blisters in his armpits.

He felt like a child, a baby trying to learn how to walk again and in some sense that was true. He wobbled his way over to the closet, happy when he was able to grab himself some pajama pants and throw them on the bed.

He moved again, miscalculating how difficult it was to turn around and hitting the floor. The pain shot to his leg and he was there again. In Europe, and the bottom half of his leg was barely attached to his knee. That had been the last time he'd fallen, when the explosion happened.

When William sacrificed himself for him to be able to go home.

He felt hands on him, too soft to be Victor's and she pulled him back. He felt the tears in his eyes, but he couldn't. He couldn't cry in front of Katherine.

"Ned?" He saw her face, crippled with worry as she looked over him. "What are you doing over here? I left you-"  
"You shouldn't have to help me with everything," he winced as she touched his head.  
"Ned, you're bleeding." She sighed and grabbed the crutches, setting them away from them. "Let's get you up."  
"No, Katherine. I can do it on my own," he muttered and rolled onto his stomach.  
"This is what physical therapy is for." She reassured him. "They will teach you how to use these crutches and find you something so you don't have to use those as much."  
"We're not paying for that, we don't have the money. And your parents are not doing that for me." He muttered as he struggled to get himself up into a sitting position.  
"Ned," she muttered and grabbed his arm. "It's our money. I have a trust fund, and I'm eighteen and I can access it now. What's mine is yours, that's a part of marriage."  
"You're not spending that money on me. I'm not worth it," he muttered.  
"You gonna let me help you now?" She said smugly. "I let you try and you're struggling."  
"Fine," he gave up and she pulled him up to his feet.  
"Did you lift weights while I was gone or something?" He asked as she brought him over to the bed.  
"No, I moved a lot of patients. It's not too hard once you get the hang of it," she shrugged and kissed him. "It's not difficult for me to help you, so please let me."

He watched the way she looked over his body, at his scars and the way she was breathing sharply.

"I know, I'm not the same anymore." He sighed. "I'm scarred and hard to look at."  
"No," she carefully sat on his lap, feeling him beneath her and gasping softly. "You're so incredibly sexy. I've been staring at you whenever I get the chance, because I never know if I'll lose you again. Those were the worst times of my life without you."  
"You don't think I'm hideous?" He looked up at her.  
"Never in a million years will you be hideous," she traced over his scars and smiled. "You're my hero and each of these scars show what you sacrificed over there. How you could have never come home, but you did."

He needed to maintain some control. He needed... damn, Katherine was so fucking beautiful. Her brown hair was darker where it clung to her sweaty skin, the hot days still in full effect.

She stared up at him through half closed eyes and bit her bottom lip. God, how could anyone not want her? He finally captured her lips and she moaned into his mouth.

She was incredible.

Sinking into the kiss as deeply as she would allow, he wished he could move as he could've before. He before he could've pinned her down, but now she'd have to move him. Unless...

He laid back against the bed, bringing her with him.

Maybe he could move her beneath him... With careful calculation, he was able to move up the bed and roll on top of her.

"You did it," she whispered happily at him.  
"It's a bit painful up here," he resituated his weight on his, now, dominant leg and felt better. "Ok. I'm good."

He brought her lips to his again and let his hands roam, celebrate how he was finally home, and his hand brushes her curls as he did so. She bucked against his hand.

She was so wet. Even with that light touch he could feel it and the way she responded.

He needed to be inside her. He needed to be inside her _now_.

He'd waited so long. Forever.

"That's my girl," he chuckled, his tongue composing poems along her lips, tasting of sugar and the sugarless tea she had this morning while reading the paper in front of him, reminding him too much of her father.

Heat torrented through every artery in her body, overwhelming her with white-hot prickles, and she curved her torso against him as his hand ghosted between her thighs, his two fingers quickly working in and out of her. She loved how he would always surprise her, spontaneously giving her pleasure and rarely asking for it in return.

He was impossible. And she loved him.

"Jesus, Katherine. You're so…" He let out such an incredibly sexy groan, and the fact that he didn't finish his sentence thrilled her even more.

She'd never understand how someone as handsome and divine as Ned would fall in love with a boring, younger hopeful nurse, but he had, and she'd never take it for granted.

She twisted her fingers in his hair, her entire body trembling as he lifted her to that otherworldly realm, so close, and she whispered in his ear how much she loved him, singing his name out like a song in the exact way she knew he went crazy for, and as she shattered against his body, she could feel him humming his own aroused approval against her throat.

"I love you," she gasped and kissed him.

As she caught her breath, he trailed slow kisses up her jaw, fluttering a few gentle ones against the seam of her lips.

"We should get that house we were looking at," he said suddenly, and in response, she let out a breathy laugh.  
"When you can walk better," she nodded. "Then we can fix it up, together."  
"Together," he smiled. "I'll get better for you. I'll dance with you again. That's a promise I will keep."

She nodded and smiled at him.

"Move into our house with that white picket fence. Have kids." She said softly.  
"And a dog." He smiled.  
She giggled. "And a dog."

Gravity escaped her as he leaned in to kiss her once more, his lips filling her up with sunlight. If she was allowed, she'd kiss him forever, and be content with just that.

It never failed to thrill him that he was the only one who ever got to see her like this. There was the hint that William had been able to touch her like does, but she didn't love him as she loved Ned.

In the light of day, she was Katherine, the prim and proper daughter of one of the nicest and richest families in town, with her neatly braided hair and sensible dresses. Alone in the privacy of their room, she shed that image as a snake sheds its skin, and let the warm, vibrant woman he'd loved since elementary school come to life.

She was gloriously bare, her dark hair hanging in tangled waves over her shoulder, as she studied him.

"You're so handsome, scars or not," she whispered and touched his cheek.

He stripped off her dress and panties with one quick motion and didn't waste time tossing her legs over his shoulders as he positioned his face between her thighs. He can see the anticipation visible in her body by the way the muscles of her stomach clenched and her belly button dipped as she sucked in a breath.

As much as he wanted to drag this out and take his time to savor and reacquaint himself with every last inch of her, he knew he had all his life to do that.

He licked his lips at the sight of arousal coating her folds, and when she spread her legs further apart, the open invitation caused his cock to throb almost painfully against his boxers. An impatient moan sparked him into action as he leaned forward and swiped the flat of his tongue along her slit. With two fingers, he spread her folds, revealing her swollen clit that he greedily latched onto.

"Oh _fuck_!" She gasped, leaning into him as he circled the tip of his tongue around and around at a dizzying pace.

The fact that he'd reduced her to openly cursing caused him to chuckle, the wave of vibrations from his lips causing her legs to clamp together around his head and her hips to thrust up off the bed.

Spurred on by her more than enthusiastic response, he released one of his hands and draped it across her stomach, holding her in place as he sucked and licked and teased until her thighs began to shake against the sides of his face. He watched with intense fascination as her eyes fluttered shut and her mouth opened on its own accord. Knowing that she was teetering on the edge, just moments away from falling apart, again, he released his hold on her stomach and reached up to toy with her breasts.

With the added sensation as he rolled one nipple between his fingers, her head lulled back against the pillow and she came with a shuddering moan.

He grunted against her folds when her hand snaked around his head to hold him in place, and he continued to lavish her as she rode out the aftershocks of her orgasm. The muscles of her legs went momentarily rigid before she slumped and peered out at him from under her hooded eyes. He placed one last lingering kiss to her center before pulling away, wincing slightly at his leg and moving carefully above her, unable to contain the grin that stretched across his face.

She stared back at him adoringly and smiled. Breathy and satiated, she reached down to cup his slick chin in her hand and wiped it with the pad of her thumb. She squeaked in surprise when he turned his head and grabbed hold of her thumb gently between his teeth, drawing it into his mouth to suck it clean before releasing her with a roguish grin.

He then took her right leg and hooked it over his shoulder, he leaned over and kissed her once gently.

"I love you so much." He whispered against her lips.  
"I love you too." She answered back just moments before he slide into her.

Both of them groan with the satisfaction of being one again. His walls molded around him, as he began moving in and out of her at an achingly slow pace. Once they have acclimated to each other again, his thrusts began to pick up in speed and intensity.

"Oh. Fuck. Katherine! You feel so perfect." He moaned. "I never thought it would be hard to go without you like this for that long, that I'd be able to keep myself under control, but God, I'm never going to touch myself again."

She would never be able express in words the feeling of him as he moved in her, causing her whole body to tremble with terrible need, so instead she whimpered and moaned and cried with each thrust. Her walls began to flutter as he slammed into the perfect spot with each pass, causing her walls to completely constrict and her third orgasm in a little over an hour to wash over her.

"Ned," she whispered as the perfect bliss that she felt in this situation overwhelmed her, and tear sprung to her eyes.

Ned… her Ned is home, finally home, in their room, in front of her safe, and buried inside her, after a whole two months and all of it just took her breath away.

She sat up, causing him to stop his movements, which have become jerkier as he got closer to his own release. She pushed him away from her, moving him onto his back, gasping in pleasure from the release of tension from his leg and as she palmed him.

She wraps her hand around the base of his cock— slick from being inside of her— causing him to suck air in through his teeth. She pumped him twice and then wrapped her lips around the head, then slowly moved to take what she can of his large erection into her mouth. She could taste herself on him, but it didn't bother her, because she had missed this. She had missed the sounds of him as she brought him to his peak, and the feel of him tightening against her her other hand on his stomach as he got closer, and the way he tried to fight the urge to thrust into her mouth, but always gave in just a little, just enough, to make wetness pool at her center again.

"Oh Katherine..." He hissed. "Honey, I'm… I'm going to come."

She let go just in time to bring her face to him.

"Let's have a baby," she whispered, kissing him.  
"Can we do it? With how I am-" He answered.  
"Ned," she touched his face. "You will be a better than yours. Don't think about that, think about having a little bundle of both of us. Perfect combination."  
"What if he or she is scared of me because of what I don't have." He pulled her as close as possible, skin to skin contact and all.  
"We'll teach him, or her that their daddy risked his life and came home." She whispered, letting him slide into her again, gasping as he did so and earning smile from him against her shoulder.  
"Yes, let's make a baby." He kissed her deeply and reached down to palm her rear, lifting his hips just enough to earn a breath gasp from her. "I can't move enough..."

She lifted herself and rode him, breasts against his chest and brought him there, and he continued to thrust wanting to make sure all of him was deep inside her, even with no energy, he couldn't leave her without pleasure.

"Four orgasms," she gasped as she laid there, on top of him with him still inside her, and looked up, watching as he caught his breath and looked down at her with a goofy grin on his face.

A moment later he bent down and kissed the top of her head.

"I'll make it a new record with five, just... give me a minute." He rubbed her back and smiled. "I missed you, we couldn't lay like this over there."  
"Definitely not like this," she laughed. "I always just near you."  
"I hated it," he muttered. "Close, but not close enough... this... these moments are what I live for."  
"Do you think it worked?" She lifted her head, resting her chin on his sternum.  
"We can always try again, and again, and again." He said and kissed her head. "And again."

She laughed and kissed his chest looking up at him.

"We have all the time in the world," she smiled up at him. "I love you."  
"I love you more," he whispered.  
"I love you the most," she replied, never letting him have the last word.


	20. Epilouge

**A/N: This story has been a lot of fun and I can't believe we're at this point. But thank you to everyone who read it and thank you to Meowser Clancy for everything. I would have never finished this or even gotten it in written form without her. Lot of love xx Mariah**

* * *

Christmas morning has always been Melinda's favorite, and this would be the first time it wouldn't be held at the Clancy household.

Instead Jim, Melinda and their son would be going to Katherine's to open gifts. They'd even told little Micah that Santa had stopped there instead of home and that's why they were getting up earlier than last year.

"Merry Christmas," she whispered to her husband who's head was tucked under a pillow.  
"Merry Christmas," he muttered. "We should get up shouldn't we?"  
"We should, Micah is up anyway." She said sitting up, feeling his arm around her as he sat up, kissing her shoulder.  
"How can you tell?" He asked.  
"He's talking to his bear, listen." She said softly.

She had heard the sound of Micah's babbling since the sun had come up an hour and fifteen minutes earlier. She smiled as she listened to her little boy babble about Santa and his sissy to Buttons the bear. That had been the first gift he'd ever gotten, from his sister. The words were interspersed with little giggles and things that only made sense to him.

She swung her legs over the side of the bed, straightening the nightgown Jim had messed with the night before. She left the room and headed for her son's nursery down the hall. Her grin widened when she saw her three year old sitting up in his big boy bed, talking as he clutched the bear.

He grinned a lopsided grin, the one that matched his father's so perfectly when he saw his mama.

"Well good morning to you too my little prince!" Melinda exclaimed when she approached the toddler.

He giggled and raised his hands for her to pick him up. She did as he wanted and the little boy immediately wrapped his arms around his mother's neck. He giggled into her ear, kissing her over and over again.

Micah was such a happy boy, always giggling and smiling just like his big sister when she was his age. She loved mornings like this.

"Daddy?" Micah questioned as Melinda brought him over to the closet to pick out an outfit for the day.

He was enamoured with Jim at the moment, and always wanted to see him.

She was so lucky her husband had chosen a profession that allowed him to be home more if he so desired. He was able to hand off more responsibility to Ned, who'd gone to college with Katie a few months after returning home from war, and only go in twice a week to check in on numbers, but still get the same check he did if he were to be working the job. Overall it's a win-win for both Jim and Ned.

"I think Daddy is still sleeping," she smiled, finding the outfit she wanted for the little boy and walking back to the rocking chair.

She placed him down and went about getting him ready for the day.

"Did you go potty on the potty instead of your bed last night?" She gasped, noticing his pajama pants were still as dry as they were when she put them on him the night before.  
"Yes mama!" He giggled.  
"Oh, such a good boy. Your daddy and I are so proud." She kissed his head.

He was like a miniature Jim, all dark black hair and with the same chin and nose, but he had his mother's warm eyes; if Katherine was almost all Melinda, Micah was extremely like Jim, his twin, almost. And Melinda dressed him as such, in simple trousers and a clean white shirt that she knew wouldn't stay clean after going over to play at sissy's house.

He was already having a little trouble seeing things; she could see him squinting sometimes and wondered if he'd need glasses. She found herself smiling to imagine the sight of a tiny Jim with glasses too. It would definitely make her world better.

She slipped saddle shoes onto tiny feet, pressing a kiss to the chubby ankle before tying them for him.

He looked so much like his father it almost took Melinda's breath away. She smiled, leaning down to rub noses with her son. Micah's hands went for her hair. She smiled for a second before gently pulling his hands out.

"Gentle with Mommy," she smiled and kissed her nose.

She scooped him up from her lap and he instantly itched to get down. He'd mastered walking before he was one, just like his sister, and wanted down as often as he was allowed. Melinda smiled as she watched her son take off out of the nursery and across the hallway toward her and Jim's bedroom.

The sound of his shoes against the floor of the hallway made Melinda smile. She loved that sound. She followed a few paces behind the little boy and smiled when she saw Jim coming into the hallway, his face freshly shaved and in his trousers, suspenders, and undershirt. He smiled at her, but gestured for her to stay quiet, Micah hadn't noticed him yet.

That only lasted a second though.

"DADDY!" He exclaimed when he caught sight of his favorite person.

He jumped excitedly, clapping his hands while he grinned. Jim swooped in and picked up his son, smothering his face with kisses until he used his tiny hands to push him away.

"What, no more daddy kisses? Too much for you?" Jim placed one more on his cheek before throwing him up in the air a little bit as Melinda came closer to the pair.  
"You shaved," she smiled as she ran her hand around his back, coming to rest on his opposite hip.  
"You asked me to last night for pictures today," he pressed a kiss to her lips and Micah giggled, pressing his into the kiss in his own way of kissing them. "You go get ready, I'll take care of him until you're done."  
"Thank you," she smiled ad kissed him once more before going to kiss her son's cheek and ducking away.  
"Breakfast little man?" He asked and Micah giggled, pointing down the hallway. "Alright, let's go get you some fruit while mama gets dressed."  
"Then sissy's?" Micah asked gleefully.

He loved going to sister's house because that meant getting to see Henry.

"Yes, then we will go to sissy's." He kissed his son's cheek and set him down on his feet.

* * *

It was just past nine when Katherine heard the doorbell, and heard Henry run to get the door.

"Mom and dad are here," she took off her apron and rubbed Ned's back. "And Micah."  
"I'll get them situated," he smiled at her. "You go get Danielle?"  
"Yes," she laughed and met him with a kiss. "Your leg okay?"  
"It's fine," he resituated his prosthetic and walked toward the front door where Melinda and Jim could be heard telling Micah to just wait a second before running off with Henry.

She smiled as he walked off, he'd come so long, they both had since they were seventeen and newly married.

Three years seemed like such a long time, and it had changed them for the better.

Henry had been born two months after Micah on a spring day and Danielle came two years later on a hot summer day just like her mother.

"Dani, nana and papa are here," she said gliding into her daughter's room where she sat with her doll. "And Micki too."

The one and half year old looked over at her mother with a smile.

"Nana? Papa?" Danielle giggled. "And Micki!"  
"Yes baby," she scooped her up and carried her out, kissing her cheek. "It's Christmas, remember?"  
"Yay!" Danielle squealed and was set down, waddling out into the living room in front of her mother.  
"Mom, let me help you." She saw her mother struggling to get the front closet closed. "There's a trick."  
"Oh thank you," her mother smiled. "You look so good baby."  
"New moisturizer," she hugged her and smiled.  
"Oh? What one?" Her mother asked as she slipped her shoes from her feet.  
"Something French, you know Hannah always sends me gifts from the places she visits with her husband." She laughed as Ned greeted her mother with a hug before wrapping his arm snug around her waist.  
"That's right, and she sends me a postcard. I thought she was Italy?" Her mother said as she looked up at the two.  
"Her last gift was from France," she reassured her before excusing her and Ned from the room.  
"Why didn't you just tell her?" He laughed as she pulled a pie from the oven.  
"I didn't run it past you first," she sighed. "Do you want to tell them? It's still so early..."  
"Honey, we're pregnant and your mother is already suspicious." He said wrapping his arms around her. "Mostly because of your glow, which is from not only your moisturizer, but from our celebration last night and from the newest addition to the family."  
"Yeah, let's tell them and the kids." She smiled up at him. "I can't believe we're pregnant again."  
"I believe it," he laughed. "We make love enough to have triplets."

He set her on the counter and kissed her deeply, his hand resting against her slim stomach.

It was hard to believe that just four years ago they were strangers to each other, and he was the father of her children and love of her life.

"Katherine," he whispered, his face was only inches from her and the warmth of his breath lit her up like a candle. "I love you."  
"Ned," she whispered back, a smile on her face. "I love you too."

A rush of heat started in her chest and slowly spread throughout her body, reaching every last limb. She could feel his eyes watching her every move, from the slight twitch of her lip to the way her shoulders rose and fell as she breathed. He leaned forward slowly, his hand brushing the hair out of her face and in an instant his lips were on hers again.

They were warm and smooth, as they've always been. She loved kissing him, how warm he felt against her, and especially now with their third child growing inside her.

"Let's never stop having kids," he joked and kissed her again.  
"Deal," she smiled. "But please, let's stop at ten. If you don't get tired of me by then."  
"I'll never grow tired of you," he reassured her and kissed her again.  
"I knew it!" Her mother squealed as she stood in the doorway.  
"Can't we ever keep a secret?" She laughed and leaned her head against the cupboard.  
"Oh honey, I'm your mother. You can't keep secrets from me," her mother said and turned around. "Jim! I have news."  
"Come on, we have some presents to open. There is a box with your name on it," she kissed him and he ran off.

She peered over her family, her parents were sitting next to each other beaming from the news of a new member of the family. Danielle was cooing and waving her hands in the air in Ned's lap, Micah and Henry were sitting next to each other giggling.

They were just waiting for her.

But she took a moment to watch her family before she started walking inside, sitting between her little brother and husband, pulling Henry into her lap.

Holidays like this with just the seven (and soon-to-be eight) of them were always her favorite.

She loved her family more than anything and couldn't ask for anything better.


End file.
